Mark of a Legend: Divine Destiny, part one
by AquilaTempestas
Summary: Three years have passed since Team Rocket fell apart, but now they have returned under the leadership of a new ruler. While evil spreads, a young female called Lyra commences her journey and is destined to become the region's saviour, but it's not a path without obstacles. HG/SS novelisation.
1. Prologue

Three years have passed since Team Rocket fell apart, but now they have returned under the leadership of a new ruler. While evil spreads, a young female called Lyra commences her journey and is destined to become the region's saviour, but it's not a path without obstacles.

.

 **Prologue**

Edward Blackthorn sat in the middle of the shrine with his legs crossed, hands resting on his lap, back facing the dragon idol. Every day he would visit the shrine at the break of dawn to receive a vision before their clan symbol, a mighty golden dragon. Only by kneeling before the dragon head was he able to see a glimpse into the future. His visions had given him the title of the Elder of the Blackthorn Clan, and he was revered by the people across the region.

But not all people held his visions in high regard.

High-ranking dragon tamers from the neighbouring regions mocked his visions, claiming they were simply figments of imagination from an old man's tired mind. They wanted him removed from his seat of power, wanting to turn the Dragon Den into a political place instead. It was rumoured the other clans wanted to use Blackthorn City as place to educate trainers about the path to becoming a dragon master. Naturally, the people of Blackthorn City were displeased with the news – bringing in tamers from other regions would only create trouble and would eventually lead to a sense of loss identity. He suspected there was a deeper reasoning behind their logic – there was always a sinister motive behind politics - though he could not imagine what it could be.

Despite the problems with foreign clans, it was not the reason behind his stress.

His main cause of stress had actually come from his own grandchildren, Clair and Lance. Both his grandchildren held positions of great power however they had not yet developed the maturity to fully understand what their positions entailed. For Clair, being the final gym leader meant abusing her power and flaunting her status, and for Lance that meant engaging in reckless behaviour. Edward had lost count of how many times Lance had strayed from the noble path, in his pursuit of power. He was constantly searching for a way to prove he was fit to be Champion, but had yet to find the right path. Edward hoped to steer him in the right direction before it was too late.

"Haven't I already proved myself? I'm the final gym leader before the league," Clair said, sapphire eyes narrowed in anger, fingers curled into fists hanging down at her sides.

"You have not proved your worth, Clair," Edward said, giving the Blackthorn gym leader a stern look. "I do not deny your power, but you have yet to learn what it truly means to be a gym leader and a true dragon master of Blackthorn. You will continue to carry out your tasks until you have shown me you have the wisdom of our ancestors."

The gym leader pouted. Folding her arms across her chest, she threw Edward a dark look, brows knotted in anger. "Why should I remain here in this city waiting for a worthy trainer to arrive when I could be helping you? I know the other clan leaders are giving you trouble – I could pay each one a visit and destroy them with my Kingdra. That'll teach them a lesson not to mess with the Blackthorn Clan," she protested.

Edward shook his head. "And what will that achieve, Clair? Challenging the clan leaders will only create more trouble and give them a stronger reason why the education centre is needed here in this city. They already believe us to be an arrogant, unruly lot. Do you want to add 'violent' to that description?"

Clair huffed. "You don't think I'm strong enough to take them on. Well, you're wrong. _I'm_ the strongest trainer in the region!" she wailed, flipping her long sapphire blue ponytail over her right shoulder. She turned to her cousin for support. "Tell him, Lance! Tell him how strong I am! Tell him how I crushed the last challenger with ease!"

Stifling a yawn, Lance shrugged. "The battle was over before it even had a chance to get interesting," he said in a tired voice. While Clair was known for her overly aggressive manner to the public, Lance was known for being direct and blunt. He spoke his mind with little disregard for the thoughts and feelings of those around him, believing only his word mattered. Becoming Champion had given the boy a self-inflated sense of importance. "You should let Clair have a chance to prove herself worthy, grandfather. You know, she's _almost_ as good as I am." He grinned.

Edward shook his head again. "Clair has yet to pass the test." Turning away from Lance, he faced Clair, a disproving expression on his face. "You cannot claim to be a dragon master of Blackthorn City until you have passed the test. You know the law."

Her eyes widened, bottom lip curled. Edward knew what was coming next; an infamous Clair tantrum. Clair restored to screaming, yelling, stomping her feet and crying to get things her way, but that would not sway him. "I _am_ worthy! I will _prove_ it to you!" She spun around on her heel and stormed out of the shrine's entrance, black cape flapping behind her.

Lance watched her leave then rolled his head towards his grandfather. "Do you really think that is wise? You are only inviting her to seek out danger. You can't keep her trapped forever. She's going to find a way to become involved in all of this. I say you should just free her from her leash and let her run wild," he said, arms folded over his chest, dark eyes fixed on the man.

Edward was less than amused by Lance's response. He slowly picked himself up from the ground, dusted his robes, and limped over to the table. "These are dangerous times we are living in Lance," he started, glancing down at the sheets of paper lying on the surface. Pointing at the table, he brought Lance's attention to the first of the three papers then looked at him. "What do you see?"

Each of the sheets had an image drawn on it. The first was of an injured Slowpoke, the second of a pirate hat and the third had a picture of a young female with pigtails. Lance raised an eyebrow and looked at his grandfather. "I see a Slowpoke, a pirate hat and a girl who looks like she belongs on a farm. More visions of yours, I assume?" He laughed as if it were a grand joke.

Edward nodded. "Yes. Reports of injured Slowpoke are making the news each week, and the pirate hat wearing people are linked to it. These people belong to Team Rocket. You and I both know this cannot continue."

"Team Rocket were defeated three years ago. Giovanni disbanded them, and went into hiding," Lance pointed out, frowning. "If Team Rocket had returned, then someone would've said something. I have eyes across both Johto and Kanto, and not one gym leader has mentioned sightings of any suspicious activity."

"They've returned. I have seen it."

"Then I will search the Slowpoke Well myself, and see it with my own eyes. You can't rely on these visions, grandfather. Perhaps in your old age, your abilities have waned." He turned around and prepared to head towards the exit, but Edward grabbed his arm and held him back.

"Do not be a fool. You may have earned the title of a dragon master, but this is a fight you cannot win alone."

Jerking his arm back, Lance glowered. "Have you forgotten who I am? I'm Lance, the Champion of Johto _and_ Kanto. Unlike Clair, I _am_ the strongest trainer in the region. I passed your stupid test. You say Team Rocket has returned. Who better than I to ensure they are stopped?" he challenged.

"You are a fool if you believe you are the strongest trainer in the region," his grandfather replied calmly. "There is always going to be someone stronger than you – you just haven't met them yet."

A muscle jerked in Lance's jaw. "You talk to me as if I were nothing but a child!" He drew a deep breath in, holding back his temper then said, "I can stop Team Rocket."

Edward felt his heart sink. It was moments such as these he wished that both his daughter and her sister were still alive so they could guide their children in the right direction. Lance was maturing into a young adult, but he was becoming too much like his father, and that bode ill consequences for the clan and his own future should he continue to follow that path. He wished Lance had taken after his mother instead. Unfortunately, tragic events had happened which claimed the lives of two young women who had died before their time. "And you talk to me as if you are my superior," he replied, his voice low, commanding. "You are the Champion, but you do not have power over me." Lance grumbled. "I am trying to help you, Lance."

Although Clair expressed her opinions in an abrasive manner, she always followed orders (after throwing a tantrum of course). On the other hand, Lance was convinced that he knew better than everyone else and often did things his way just because he thought it was right. "Help me?" he scoffed. "You're trying to hold me back from reaching my full potential!"

"I'm trying to guide you in the _right_ direction. Your arrogance will be your downfall if you are not careful," he snapped. "Even a Champion can fall."

The original Champion Blue had lost his title after boasting to everyone how he could never lose. The boy, the grandson of the infamous Professor Oak, had lost to an inexperienced child called Red. Red claimed the throne, but retired only after a month of service, giving the title to Lance instead. His current whereabouts were unknown, but there was a rumour he was living on the peak of Mount Silver. That was something he hadn't seen in a vision yet.

"You should have a little more faith, grandfather."

"You will not be the one to defeat Team Rocket," the man said curtly.

Lance snorted. "Let me guess, the girl in your vision will be the one to defeat them?" He tried to make it sound like a sarcastic joke, but he had failed to conceal the edge in his tone. Lance didn't like the thought of anyone else being better than him; it's why he made sure the current elite four members had no type-advantage against him, to stop comparisons being made by the public.

With a sigh, Edward lowered himself to his chair, hands gripping the edges of the table to maintain balance. In his old age simple actions such as sitting down had become difficult tasks, but his mind was still as sharp as it had been many long years ago. "Her name is Lyra. She is the girl on the paper. She will be the one to defeat Team Rocket and claim the throne as Champion."

Lance scowled. "Tell me more about this… 'Lyra'." He spat her name as if she was something foul.

"She is a fourteen year old teenager from New Bark Town with no family trainer history. She is a late starter to the world of pokémon."

Lance gave a curt laugh. "You are expecting someone with no experience to defeat Team Rocket and myself?""

"Red defeated Blue. Do I need to remind you Red came from a small hometown?" He paused, allowing his words to sink in, knowing any mention of the name would remind Lance how not all Champions came from high-status backgrounds. "You may have passed the test, but you do not truly understand it."

"You insult me."

"You did not earn the title of Champion the way one normally should, Lance. Red gave it to you. There is a difference."

The smirk on Lance's face faded. He didn't like being reminded of that. It was a well-kept secret that only his grandfather knew. Everyone else, including Clair, thought he had defeated Red to earn the title and that's why Red had resigned. The truth? Red turned down Lance's proposal for a battle. He simply handed the title over to Lance claiming 'he wasn't interested in fancy titles anyway'. "I'm strong enough now to defeat Red."

Edward ignored Lance's previous comment regarding Red. "If there is any part of you that still respects me you will listen to my words. Please keep an eye on this girl and do your best to protect her without revealing your true identity until the right moment comes. This is all I ask of you."

"I have better things to do than watch a rookie trainer." Lance headed towards the exit.

"Aren't you just a little curious to learn more about Lyra?" Edward called out. Lance stopped. "Do you wish to share the same fate?"

Lance rolled his head back towards his grandfather. "So you're threatening me?"

He saw defiance in his eyes, and was reminded of his own son, Jacob, who too had challenged his visions. He didn't want the same fate of banishment to fall upon Lance. "I _know_ what is best for you."

"Right, because you've 'seen' visions of the future," he said curtly.

"My visions have not lied to me, Lance. If you are going to listen to me just once, now is the time. Protect Lyra." Lance shifted his gaze to the door. He could see the impatience in the boy's posture and knew he had little time left to persuade his grandson to do the right thing. Many people wished they had his ability, but if they could see how they were going to die, they would think otherwise. His visions were both a blessing and a curse.

Lance considered it then nodded. "Fine," he snapped. "I'll keep an eye on her, but don't expect me to do anything else for you." He stormed out of the shrine in silence, the sounds of his footsteps echoing throughout the den.

Edward closed his eyes, took in a deep breath and exhaled, reopening his eyes again. Lance doubted his visions, but one day he would come to fully appreciate the lessons his grandfather had taught him.

.

This is another re-upload and mostly for people who have never read it before. If you have, you'll be pleased to know I finally finished 'Spirit of Champions', the third part to the trilogy. Happy reading.


	2. First Steps

**Chapter One: First Steps**

Lyra could barely contain her excitement; today marked the beginning of her journey! She hadn't slept at all last night, her mind having kept her awake with dreams of Pokemon. She envisioned herself running through the grassy fields, climbing mountains and exploring dark caves, capturing Pokemon – water, fire, ghost… it didn't matter what the type was. All Pokemon had their strengths and weaknesses, and a good trainer could overcome anything.

"Sweetie, your breakfast is ready!" Her mum called from the floor below.

Lyra was already dressed. She was wearing the usual attire – baggy denim overalls over a pink short-sleeved shirt, topped with a cute white beret atop her head. Her light-brown hair was tied up in pigtails supported by pink hair ties. Knee-high white socks and closed black shoes finished her look. Appearance meant little to her – looks were not an indication of skills. With a burst of energy, she raced down the stairs. Their home was a small one, but she could never imagine living in a bigger household. Pink and red roses painted on a yellow background covered the walls, giving an earthly feel to the place. She moved to the kitchen and planted herself down in the chair across from her mother.

"Good morning!" she chirped.

Her mother, a young woman in late thirties with honey-brown hair and warm brown eyes, smiled down at her, drying her hands on her apron. "My little girl has all grown up! I can't believe you are setting off on your journey today…" There was a smile on her face, but Lyra noticed her eyes shimmering with tears and felt saddened. She'd be leaving for her journey today and Arceus knows when she would return.

"I'm going to perfectly fine, I'll have my Pokemon with me," Lyra answered, standing up from her chair. She walked to her mother and wrapped her arms around her waist. This would be her last night in the comfort of her home for a long time.

Her mother rubbed a hand through her daughter's hair, stroking it tenderly. "If only your father could see you now… he would be so proud of his little girl." She sniffed again, wiping a tear drop from her face using the back palm of her hand.

It had been five years since her father's passing. He had been attempting to climb Mt. Silver when a freak accident occurred, causing a tonne of rocks to come crashing down on his head. His Pokemon had tried to save his life, but they had perished under the weight of the rock. Lyra pulled back from her mother, trying hard not to let tears fall. She had to be strong. "Ethan is going to pick me up and take me over to the lab," she said.

"Do you know which Pokemon you are going to choose?"

Lyra nodded. "Totodile, for sure." Totodile, the water-type. Chikorita, the grass-type. Or Cyndaquil, the fire-type. All were powerful in their own right, but the element of water appealed to her senses the most. The water element reminded her of the waves crashing against the shoreline near her home. It was soothing to listen to and brought her great sense of peace just be watching the waves. Besides, Totodile was cutest of the three available starters.

"I can't wait to see your companion!" Her mother gushed.

Their tender mother-and-daughter moment was interrupted by a knock on the door. "That must be Ethan," Lyra said. She darted her eyes around the room searching for her belongings, only then realizing that in her excitement, she had forgotten to pack last night. Fortunately, her mother came to her rescue.

"I've already prepared for your journey, sweetie. I'll be waiting for you here! You should probably go now. You don't want to keep the professor waiting!" She bent down and gave her daughter another hug, then ushered Lyra out of the house.

Her childhood friend, Ethan, also a fellow Pokemon trainer, waited outside. He greeted her warmly, tipping his black and yellow cap downwards, strands of black hair peeking out from beneath. Despite the heat, he was wearing a red sweat shirt, and brown pants. A small, round blue Pokemon with a white belly was standing beside him. It was a Marill, and he had received the Pokemon from his father a year ago as a gift for graduating from trainer's school with top marks. "Morning, Lyra."

"Morning, Ethan!"

Ethan smiled at her warmly. "I'm sure you're excited about starting your journey, so let's not waste time. The professor's waiting, come on!"

New Bark Town was a small place, and as its name suggested, was built near a forest. The homes lacked heating equipment and therefore had to use firewood to keep their houses warm during the winter months. Basic supplies such as food and water could be purchased from Cherrygrove City which was located about a kilometre away to the east. A part of her felt sad to be leaving, but to spend another year here in this tiny town with little to do but dream wasn't all that appealing.

There were only two other houses in the town. Ethan lived in a two-storey house with a yellow roof, and the other house was occupied by their friendly neighbour, Belinda. Her son, Joey, had recently left on his journey and Lyra knew it wouldn't be long before she encountered him, although she hoped not to since they hadn't parted on good terms. Up ahead, she spotted the lab. It was easily identifiable since it was the only building with a picket fence around it, designed to keep wild Pokemon from entering.

Lyra had been there several times before to learn about Pokemon in the foyer, but this would be her first time stepping into the lab part itself. She was giddy with excitement. It was hard not to race ahead. Ethan led the way inside the building and she was immediately greeted by cool air. She spotted the professor standing beside a round desk with a glass dome. A smile broke out on his face the moment his eyes locked with hers.

"Lyra, it's a pleasure to be the one to give you your first Pokemon!" He stuck out his hand and Lyra accepted it. "Which one would you like to choose? The male Totodile, the female Cyndaquil or the male Chikorita? Take your time – this is an important decision," he explained, gesturing to the dome.

Lyra's response was immediate. "Totodile!" she blurted, causing a soft laugh to leave the man's mouth.

"It seems you have given this a lot of thought already." He pushed a red button, which brought the glass dome down temporarily. He picked up the ball containing the Totodile and gave it to Lyra. "Say hello to your new friend, Lyra. I'm sure he will serve you well in the journey to come."

As soon as her hands made contact with the item, the pokeball glowed. Shocked, she dropped it. The pokeball opened, a column of white light burst from the ball, temporarily blinding all present. When the light faded, her newly acquired Totodile stood before her, giving her a happy grin. "I'm so sorry," Lyra blurted, falling to her knees. She embraced her new friend. "I hope I didn't hurt you."

If the Totodile had suffered any form of pain, he did a good job of not showing it. Totodile's scales were cool to her touch, but surprisingly smooth. His teeth were still quite small, yet they were fully capable of inflicting serious harm if someone accidentally put their fingers too close. "Are you going to give your friend a nickname?" Professor Elm asked.

"I shall call him Toto." Not the most original name around, but it would do. Toto wagged his tail and grinned, showing his satisfaction for the name. "He likes it."

While Lyra stroked Toto on his head, the professor explained all she needed to know about being a trainer. "I'm sure you already know about the basics of being a trainer, but I thought I should provide you a summary of notes just so you are aware of what awaits you." He reached into his pocket and pulled out a vertical rectangular blue object and handed it to Lyra. "That is a Pokedex. It is used to recording data on any Pokemon you come across. It can also store information about your Pokemon. To access its full features, you'll need to insert your ID card to register the device."

Lyra took the object and cradled it, ensuring not to drop it this time like she had with the pokeball. "Sounds simple enough."

"The full list of a Pokemon's moves can be viewed on your device. When you are ready to update your Pokemon's moves, you can simply press your pokeball against your Pokedex and two screens will appear. The current moves your Pokemon knows will be shown on the left, while the moves your Pokemon can learn that are available to be purchased for a fee, are shown on the right. To purchase a move, you'll have to scan your trainer ID card," he explained. "Although, some moves are free if your Pokemon can learn that move naturally. You can also visit a nurse at the Pokemon Centre to update your moves with the machines there."

.

How Pokemon learned moves was a real mystery to her. It was something scientists were still looking into, but not a lot of progress had been made. Evolution was also another mystery that boggled even the greatest of minds. Lyra cared little for science – she was more concerned with raising Pokemon than worrying about their biology. "What else should I know?"

Professor Elm looked skywards, stroking his chin thoughtfully then looked back down again. "Pokemon grow stronger with each battle. The more battles you fight and win, the stronger your Pokemon will become. You want a strong team to contest the Indigo League so I suggest fighting every trainer that steps on your path."

Lyra lifted a brow. She had heard of the Indigo League before, but never investigated it further. She didn't know the names of the trainers, she didn't know who the Champion was and she never cared to either. Her neighbours had discussed it before and they had mentioned Indigo League was home to the most arrogant of trainers in the region. They didn't sound like people she wanted to meet. "I don't know if I want to take on the league challenge."

The professor frowned. "Don't be silly, Lyra. Of course you want to take on the league challenge. I know it sounds intimidating, but I know you can do it with Toto at your side." He grinned down at Lyra's companion. "Your first stop should be at Cherrygrove City. I want you to drop by Mr. Pokemon's house to pick up something for me," he said. He grabbed a piece of paper, then scribbled something down on and handed it to Lyra. "This is my number. Don't worry about giving me yours – your mother already gave it to me."

Ethan smiled. "Before you leave, you should say goodbye to your mum. See you soon, Lyra!" Her friend said his goodbyes and Lyra nodded. She left the building with Toto following close behind. As her mother had promised, she was waiting for Lyra at the entrance of their house. She was there now holding a small pink shoulder bag.

"I've packed the standard items a Pokemon trainer needs for their journey," her mother explained, handing the bag to her daughter. The standard items were the trainer's guidebook, her phone, her bank card, a bottle of water and a protective case for a Pokedex. There was also a cream-coloured pokebelt used for keeping her pokeballs secured safely around her waist.

Lyra took it and slung it over her shoulder. "Anything else I need to know?"

"Would you like me to look after your money?"

She nodded. "You know you don't have to ask. Of course you can." She remembered Ethan telling her about the money system in the Pokemon world. When a trainer lost a battle, they were expected to give ten percent of their current earnings to the victor. It was wise to keep half her earnings with her mother for worst case scenarios. If she lost a battle she'd have to hand over ten percent of her current earnings to the victor. Carrying around stash loads of cash wasn't a smart idea. What if the bag got stolen? Or worse, what if she lost all her money against difficult trainers?

Her mother leaned over and kissed her daughter on the forehead then pulled back, smiling proudly. "Go and get them, sweetie!" She took a step back and waved.

.

Lyra headed back to the lab where she found a strange boy with shoulder-length deep red hair, looking into the window, muttering. She had never seen him before and wondered what he was doing here. She thought about approaching him, but decided against it. Besides, she had other things to do than make friends with this stranger. Pushing thoughts of the stranger aside, Lyra continued on her way to Route 29. Ethan was already waiting for her.

"I'm going to show you how to catch some Pokemon," he said, walking towards a grassy patch. "You basically just wonder around until a Pokemon jumps out. A battle will commence and it's your job to weaken the wild Pokemon until it can barely move. That's when you throw the ball. To improve your chances of catching the wild Pokemon, make sure you inflict it with some status condition. Ooh, there's a Pokemon!"

Lyra stood on the edge of the grass patch, and watched as a Pidgey lunged at Ethan's Marill. Marill used a bubble attack and the Pidgey countered with a tackle, but it did little damage. Marill attacked again, causing the Pidgey to fall over. The Pidgey was still conscious, but very weak. The perfect moment to throw a pokeball. Ethan hurled a ball at the Pidgey. A beam of red light hit the Pidgey turning into nothing but air, as Ethan explained. The light returned and the ball rocked back and forth until it stopped moving. Pidgey had been captured.

"Oh, that's how it works."

"The stronger the Pokemon is, the more resistant it is to being caught. You'll need better pokeballs to improve your catch rate," Ethan added, picking up the pokeball. The one he was holding was the standard red and white pokeball. "I wish I could accompany you on your journey, but you and I walk different paths."

Lyra nodded. Ethan was more interested in completing the Pokedex, rather than becoming the next champion. The world of Pokemon opened many doors for trainers. Some opted to become scientists and researchers, others wanted to teach young people about the world of Pokemon. Some made it their life's mission to breed and raise Pokemon while others specialised in nursing the injured back to good health. It didn't matter what decision a trainer made – not one career choice was better than the other.

Lyra, on the other hand, just wanted to see how far she could go, but the professor believed she could become the Champion. She wasn't convinced, but if the professor thought she had a chance then she might as well try. "I guess this is goodbye… for now," she said, giving her friend a brief hug. She pulled back and looked past the grassy patch. Cherrygrove City was only a short walk away. Grinning, she took her first step into the patch of grass. She was now one step closer to fulfilling her dreams.

.

The path to Cherrygrove was a safe one. There were a couple of wild Pokemon to contend with, but they seemed weaker than Toto. Despite having only received her Pokemon, Toto already seemed eager to battle. Sometimes her companion would run into the grass to fight and Lyra had to run after him and pick him up. Fighting wild Pokemon to become stronger wasn't a bad idea, but not _every_ battle had to be fought otherwise she'd never reach the league.

She was still heading towards Cherrygrove City, making her way through grassy patches, when she received a phone call. Answering the phone, she was surprised to hear the professor's anxious voice on the other end. "Please come back, Lyra! Something terrible has happened!" He hung up on the phone and Lyra felt her heart race.

What had happened? She hurried back towards home as fast as her legs could carry her. The professor had sounded awfully stressed and Lyra hoped he had not been hurt. She had almost reached town when her eyes rested on the red-headed male she had seen earlier looking in through the window. He moved to block her path, lips twisted into a maniacal sneer, dark eyes burning with hate. Lyra stepped back, unsure.

He took a couple of steps towards her and lifted his arm, pointing a finger in her direction. "I just stole this Pokemon and you're going to be my first victim! You should be honoured." He hurled his pokeball out onto the ground. A Chikorita emerged from the light. So, the male had conveniently stolen a Pokemon that had a type-advantage against hers. That explained why he had been looking through the window earlier. "Take this weakling down, Chikorita!"

Toto jumped in front of Lyra, eager to defend his master. Lyra glanced down, met Toto's eyes and nodded. She looked back at the red-headed male. "Stealing Pokemon is wrong. Toto, use Scratch!" She had always assumed her first battle would be against Joey, not a bullying thief. Totodile lunged at the opponent and scratched at its face. Chikorita cried with pain.

The red-headed male hissed. "I chose you because I thought you were powerful!" he whined. "Get up you useless Pokemon!" he screamed, pointing an accusing finger at his wounded Chikorita.

"Why are you so cruel to your Pokemon?" Lyra replied.

His eyes met hers. "Why are you so nice to yours? Pokemon are tools, not friends! Chikorita, use Tackle!" Chikorita lunged forward, smashing his sturdy body into Toto's own. Toto stumbled backwards, but fortunately regained his composure quickly. "You're doing rather well for someone weak."

Lyra flinched. "Toto, use Scratch again!" Lyra ordered. Scratch was the only move Toto knew at the moment, but Lyra knew in a few levels time, Toto was able to learn a water attack. Lunging forward, Toto swiped a claw, slashing the Chikorita in the face. A whine escaped the Pokemon's throat. He attempted to fight back, but the short battle had drained him of energy. He flopped to the ground.

The red-headed male swore, giving his Pokemon a hard kick in the sides. "Hmph. I let you win that round. I was testing you. Next time, the real battle begins and I will crush you. I'll crush everyone who gets in my way." He retrieved his weakened Chikorita and ran away.

.

During his escape, the boy had dropped his trainer card. Lyra went over to pick it up and found the name, 'Silver' at the top. She pulled her eyes away, looking in the direction the boy had taken. "I will never lose to someone like you." Pocketing the card, she turned around and headed back towards her hometown, noticing the window to the lab had been smashed to pieces. The professor was standing nearby, a little shaken, but appeared to be unharmed. "What's the problem, professor?" Lyra asked, jogging over to the lab. She spotted a policeman standing next to the professor.

The officer turned to face Lyra, looking at her with suspicion. "It's said the criminal will always return to the crime spot… did _you_ steal the Chikorita?" His eyes fell on Lyra's Totodile.

"What? No way. Professor Elm gave it to me this morning," she defended.

The professor nodded. "It's true. The Totodile was my gift to her."

The policeman relaxed. "I'm sorry I accused you, it's just there have been many strange happenings occurring recently. The police in Hoenn are still recovering from the effects of Team Magma and Team Aqua's plans and I hear that in Sinnoh they're having trouble with spacemen. We have to be careful. Do you know who might have done this?"

Her thoughts moved to the red-headed male she had just defeated in battle. "There was this guy with long red hair looking through the window earlier... I fought him recently actually. His name is Silver."

The professor shook his head. "The poor Chikorita…" He turned to face Lyra. "Never mistreat your Pokemon, Lyra."

"Of course, professor." The professor gave his statement to the policeman and Lyra followed him inside to provide more details about the thief. After an in depth discussion, the policeman left, promising to bring the boy to justice.

Lyra breathed a sigh of relief. What a day it had been. Totodile had been at her side for less than two hours and already she had defeated her first trainer. Unfortunately, the kid hadn't given her any money so she was still broke. Would she cross paths with trainers like Silver? She hoped not. The types of trainers she could possibly face weren't her only worry though – she had to start thinking about what Pokemon to use on her journey to contest the league. She healed Totodile using Elm's computer, then headed back outside to continue her journey.


	3. Meaningful Lessons

**Chapter Two: Meaningful Lesso** ns

New Bark Town was the most obvious place to visit first since that's where the professor's lab was. Trainers generally received their first Pokemon from the man if they didn't already have one of their own. It was a quaint town, and a little too dull for his liking, but his grandfather had made him curious, and that's why he was here now. The match had been an interesting, if not, a somewhat painful battle to watch. Lance was currently crouched behind a couple of bushes, peering through the parted branches, studying the scene before him. The red-headed boy was a pathetic individual. He talked tough, but he didn't have the skills to back it up. The girl Lyra, however, had managed to defeat the boy despite not looking anywhere near as confident as the boy had.

For a trainer who had just received her first Pokemon, she had done pretty damn well to obtain a victory. "It was just beginner's luck," Lance told himself, pulling away from the bushes, figuring he had enough of spying for the day. He turned to his Dragonite, an imposing hard-muscled dragon, who was standing behind a thick oak tree. "What do you say we teach that chump a lesson?" His grandfather had made him come all this way down so he might as well have some fun while he was here.

The dragon nodded, beating his wings causing grains of dirt to fly up around them. Dragonite shared his master's eagerness to fight and was eager to teach that chump a lesson. He chose to stay off the main road, not wanting to run into any trainers. He was the Champion of the region and if he was seen casually walking around, he'd attract attention from unwanted people, namely his annoying fangirls who worshipped him. He knew he was great, but the constant squealing and desire to touch him, was annoying and slightly creepy. Fangirls weren't the only problem he was faced with.

He was a fairly popular trainer, but like all famous people, he had his fair share of haters. His fellow Elite Four members didn't hold him in high regard, accusing him of being selfish, and the gym leaders' feelings towards him were anything but warm and friendly. Some people even claimed he did not deserve the title of Champion because he hadn't achieved the legendary deeds Red had. Fans of Red claimed Lance was simply keeping the seat warm until the one true Champion returned.

But Lance knew Red wasn't returning – he didn't even know where the trainer was, and if he even cared about battling anymore. There was a rumour the legendary trainer had retreated to the peak of Mount Silver, but Lance wasn't sure if this was true or false. Mount Silver was said to be an extremely dangerous place, defended well by powerful wild Pokemon and unpredictable weather conditions. He had never heard of a trainer who had conquered Mount Silver in his lifetime. The door to the mountain was accessible to him, but he saw no need to risk climbing up it. Red had probably left the region to find a place somewhere quiet.

Three years ago Red had claimed the title for himself. Instead of upholding the Champion's oath to protect the region, Red had chosen to surrender the title, giving it to Lance without a fight. Lance had tried to challenge him for the title since it was the right thing to do, but Red had refused. The trainer explained his reasons in a letter, stating Lance would never defeat him in battle because he was single-minded and that his methods of battling were 'rough'.

Naturally, Lance disagreed – a team was only as strong as their master. If the trainer was a weak minded fool then the team too would be weak. So what if his battling methods were a little on the rough side? As long as he won he didn't care. He might have lost to Blue, but he had only been sixteen at the time. Now he was nineteen and far stronger than he had been three years ago. There was no trainer in Johto or Kanto that could match him in power and skill.

So he didn't have much to worry about.

"There he is, Dragonite." Dragonite growled, prompting Lance to smirk. "Let's go and teach him a lesson."

.

Silver dropped to his knees and bowed his head before slamming a fist into the ground beneath him. He punched the earth several times over until his knuckles began to hurt. He was a loser. A goddamn loser. He couldn't even beat a rookie trainer. A rookie _female_ trainer. A tear threatened to spill from his eyes, but he managed to fight them back. Tears were for the weak. He punched the ground again. Pain. Pain brought relief. It distracted the mind temporarily from other thoughts. "I will _not_ lose again," he spat, speaking through clenched teeth. "I am strong. I just _need_ more power."

He glanced over to his Pokemon. Chikorita was wobbling, struggling able to stand on his four legs. His partner looked at him with pitiful eyes and Silver felt an overwhelming surge of anger pour through him. Weak. Useless Pokemon. Just like him. A loser. His father had often called him that after beating him down with his fists. _No._ He tightened his jaw, hands clutching at the grass blades on the ground. The girl had gotten lucky, that's all. Lady's luck… or whatever the hell it was called. Next time he was going to crush her. Defeating the girl would have to wait - Chikorita needed to be healed, otherwise he wouldn't survive.

He picked up his weakened partner and headed towards the nearest Pokemon Centre, carefully avoiding other trainers. They were everywhere – and they would all be crushed by his hand as soon as Chikorita was healed, then he could focus his efforts on beating that girl. Yes, that was a sound plan. He arrived at the Pokemon Centre, stepped inside and hurried over to the counter. The nurse, a pretty young lady with a deep shade of pink hair, smiled at him as he approached the bench.

"Hello, and welcome to the Pokemon Centre. We restored your tired Pokemon to full health. Would you like to rest your Pokemon?"

Of course he did. Why else would he come to a Pokemon Centre? _Stupid girl,_ he thought. He placed his Chikorita on the table. "Yes," he snarled.

The woman jumped, taken aback by the sudden harshness in his tone. She gently took his Chikorita, placing him in the miracle healing box, and pressed a big white button. Within a few seconds, his Chikorita had been restored to full health. She gave him his Pokemon back. "Thank you for waiting. We've restored your Pokemon to full health. We hope to see you again!" she smiled at him again, displaying her brilliant row of straight, white teeth.

How many times did that woman say that a day? He didn't say a thank you and simply grabbed his Chikorita and exited the building. Now where to go next? He had spotted a few weak looking trainers on Route 29, so that was probably a good place to start. Chikorita walked right by his side until Silver glared down at it. The Chikorita cowered and took a few steps back until Silver nodded, satisfied. Pokemon were not friends. They were tools, nothing more. Only the soft-hearted and weak-minded made friends with Pokemon.

Not too far up ahead, he spotted a young male wearing blue shorts and a yellow shirt. There were dirt stains on his clothes and Silver noticed he wore his cap backwards. Typical signs of a try-hard. Silver strode towards him, head tilted forward. The kid looked at him, smirking. He reached out his hand and pointed a finger at Silver. "You're going down, chump!"

Chump? Silver glared. The kid was asking for a brutal beating. "Destroy him, Chikorita!" Eager to impress the master, Chikorita leapt forward with newfound confidence, staring down the opposing trainer.

"A Chikorita. How cute. Did your mama get that for you?" the boy teased, throwing out his own pokeball. A purple male rodent appeared from the white light. The rat, which Silver recognized as a Rattata, hissed at Chikorita. "Rattata, use Tackle!" The rodent obeyed and leapt forward with surprising speed. Fortunately, Chikorita managed to avoid the attack by jumping to the right.

"Crush him! Use Tackle!"

Lowering his head, Chikorita charged at the Rattata, then threw his entire weight against the smaller rodent. Rattata stumbled backwards, flinching from the hard hit. He tried to regain his composure, but Silver's Chikorita was too quick. Chikorita tackled again and this time it was enough to knock cause the rodent to faint.

"Oh no, my poor Rattata!" the boy exclaimed.

Silver snorted. "Looks like _you_ are the chump." The battle had made Chikorita stronger; there was now a confident gleam in the creature's eyes. Chikorita pounced on the boy and nipped him on the arm, prompting the stupid to cry out in pain. Silver snickered. Perhaps Chikorita wasn't that useless after all. The boy cried and kicked his feet at the dirt. As if that would drive him off. _Stupid chump._ Silver held out his hand. "You know the rules. Give me my battle earnings or I will be forced to beat you up." The boy nodded, handing Silver a few crumpled notes.

He cast the kid another hateful glance, then pocketed the notes and headed in the direction of Route 30 which was past Cherrygrove City. There was no point in spending more time with cry-babies, and besides, Chikorita had become too strong for this area. He left the weeping boy behind and ventured towards his new destination when another trainer stepped in front of his path. This trainer didn't look like the others he had seen; he was tall, dressed all in black and wore a funny-looking cape with a red underside. A horror show reject? _What a freak_.

"Get out of my way unless you want to be crushed as well," Silver threatened.

The taller male arched a brow. "You talk tough for a weakling." He smirked. "That's right; I saw that battle you had with that goofy girl with the pigtails."

Silver growled. "Get him, Chikorita!" Chikorita nodded, standing in front of its trainer. The other guy didn't seem to have a Pokemon; or at least, not from what Silver could see. That thought quickly faded from his mind when a large shadow appeared over the ground before him. Arching his neck back, he spotted a rather intimidating dragon coming in to land. What in the name of Arceus?

The dragon landed beside the cape guy, throwing a glare in Silver's direction. Chikorita seemed so small in comparison to this mighty Pokemon. "I saw how you battled earlier. All the trash talk? You should drop it. Talking tough makes you look even weaker than you actually are. Try being nice for once – your Pokemon might actually become strong."

"Love? Love is weak. There can be no love in war," Silver retorted.

"Pokemon are not tools."

Silver flared his nostrils, spitting at the ground before his feet. "Shut up! Stop trying to lecture me! You don't know a damn thing about me! I don't care who you are, but you will not stand in my way! Chikorita, use Razor Leaf!" Chikorita looked reluctant, but he did as commanded and hurled leaves at the dragon. The leaves simply bounded off the dragon's belly who scratched its stomach, as if the leaves had left an itch.

"Dragonite, use Hyper Beam!"

Opening its mouth wide, the dragon conjured a glowing ball of light. Once the shape had been fully created, the Dragonite threw its head forward, causing a beam of white light to exit its mouth. The beam did not hit Chikorita or Silver, but struck at the space next to him. It was enough to throw Silver off his feet. He fell backwards and hit the ground, wincing as his head smacked the earth. Pain raced through his body.

The amused smirk on his opponent's face had faded. "You will never succeed in anything while your heart is filled with hatred and bitterness."

Silver clawed at the dirt, cringing as another wave of pain came over him. He rolled over onto his stomach and glanced up. "You think… you understand me… you don't know anything…" Forcing himself up from the ground, he spat out a few grains of soil, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand. Drawing his hand away, he spotted flecks of blood then licked his bottom lip, tasting the salty flavour of blood. "You don't know me."

This time, Dragonite did not attack. The dragon simply stood at his master's side death glaring Silver, although Silver knew the dragon would attack again if his trainer gave the command. Judging by the powerful blast from before, Silver was pretty convinced it would be eager to show its power off again. This trainer was strong. Too strong for him now. But one day that would change.

"If I find you harassing that girl again, I will not hesitate to come after you."

Silver spat at the ground, wincing as another wave of pain rushed through his body. He forced himself to his feet, to defend his honour, but the tamer had already disappeared.

.

For the past two hours, Lyra busied herself by testing out Toto's latest move – Water Gun – on a few poor Pidgey's in the grass patches on Route 29. She continued knocking out Pidgey's until Toto had mastered the move. Once Toto had, Lyra focused her efforts on catching a female Pidgey. Her first foray into the world of capturing Pokemon had been a success. Now she had a team of two Pokemon, but she knew she needed a team of six to stand any chance of beating the league. But who to choose? There were so many Pokemon she wanted to train. Ice-type. Electric-type. Fire-type. And even the dragon-type. "Think smart, Lyra," she told herself. "What did your father always say? Train a diverse team to cover your weaknesses."

She thought hard. How many special attackers would she need? Or was it better to focus on defence instead? Perhaps it would be smarter to focus her on special defence training? Maybe speed and health? There were so many ways to train her team to make the most of them, but what was the right path to take?

"Well, Totodile is a water-type, so that means I should probably get a fire-type and a grass-type too. That leaves me with three remaining spots. Electric, psychic and dragon? Or maybe dark, steel and ground?" She looked down at Toto for answers, but received only a toothy grin in reply. She giggled, patting her friend on her head. "You're right. I'll think about my team later." She continued to walk along the dusty path until she came across a male with blue shorts. He looked strangely familiar… those dirt-stained shoes, the backwards cap, the smirk…

"Not weak… I'm not…"

"Joey?" she replied. Joey looked at her. She noticed his eyes were red. Had he been crying? "Are you all right?" She moved towards him, but he stepped back, holding his arms out in defence.

He wiped the tears off his face. "We have to battle, Lyra. Our eyes have locked." Joey certainly didn't look like he wanted to battle, but rules were rules and a battle had to happen. Instead of sending out Toto to take the battle, Lyra decided Pidgey needed some battling time. She summoned her newest friend. Joey summoned a Rattata. "I'm not going to lose this time."

"Pidgey, use Sand Attack!" Pidgey turned her back to the rodent and kicked at the ground, flicking grains of sand in Rattata's face. Temporarily blinded by the sand, the Rattata was unable to aim accurately. He attacked, but missed by a couple of inches. "Now use Tackle!" Pidgey crooned, flapped her wings, and took a running leap at the purple rat.

Rattata could do nothing to defend himself as Pidgey knocked the rat over onto the ground. It struggled to escape, but the bird was too quick. Pidgey tackled the rat again, successfully knocking it out cold. Joey dropped to his knees, jaw dropped open. "I lost again…"

Lyra wasn't too keen on Joey – the guy had always been an impatient, impulsive brat who seemed incapable of learning from his past mistakes, but he had come from her town so she had some respect for him. "Don't be so hard on yourself, Joey."

He looked up at her. "I can't seem to win battles."

"You should allow your partner to gain more experience before challenging other trainers to battles, Joey. How do you expect to win if your Pokemon is unsure of itself?" The Rattata was lying on his side, eyes rolled back in his head. "Rattata is your partner; it's your responsibility to make sure you treat your Pokemon with love and care." She reached down into her bag, and gave Joey a potion her mother had packed. "Take this. It'll help."

Joey took the potion, flabbergasted. "You're willing to give me this after everything we've been through? If I remember correctly, I used to tease you when we were little."

She gave him a smile. "That's in the past. Let me know when you're ready for a rematch," she said, showing him her trainer card so he could write down her number. "I'd love to stay and chat, but I'm running an errand for Professor Elm." Before she could leave, Joey grabbed her arm.

"You're not just running an errand though, are you? You're setting out on the journey to become the best…" He tightened his grasp. "Make our town proud, Lyra! If anyone deserves to be Champion, it's you. I know you can do it."

She smiled again. Maybe Joey had changed a little. The old Joey would never have shown his appreciation for another trainer… or any person for that matter. "Thanks, Joey. Good luck!" She said her farewells and continued walking down the path. She spotted to other trainers, but decided to avoid them by going through the forest. Toto and Pidgey hadn't had a rest yet and they were both starting to show signs of exhaustion.

Cherrygrove was just up ahead. The city was twice the size of her hometown, and was well-known for its beautiful cherry blossoms. It was autumn in Johto, and the trees had shed their leaves, but in a couple of months they would blossom and the city would look beautiful once again. She made her way down the path heading towards the Pokemon Centre when she was approached by a bald old man with thick grey eyebrows. He was dressed in old-fashioned clothing, except for his shoes which seemed brand new. How odd. He looked her up and down then smiled.

"You're new here, aren't you? Well, let me do you the honour of showing you around the place," he said. She was already aware of what the buildings were, but for the sake of not appearing rude she pretended to be clueless. The old man ran towards a building with a blue roof. For an old guy he certainly could run fast. She jogged after him. "This is the Poke Mart. Come here if you need supplies for your journey." He then ran to a building with a red roof. "This is the Pokemon Centre. You and your Pokemon can rest here. Always make sure to heal your Pokemon after a few battles - they'll appreciate you more." He ran away to stop in front of a shabby old brown building.

"What place is this?" Lyra asked.

"This is my place. It's time for my rest."

She put on a polite smile. What a strange old man.

"You can have my running shoes. They're still warm," he said flatly.

Lyra took a step back, and raised her hands. "Uh, I think I'll pass…"

A wide grin spread across his face. "I'm kidding! I got a free pair of running shoes for you, so take them!" He dashed inside his house, and returned a few seconds later with a pair of white sneakers. "You don't need to thank me! Achieve your goals, young trainer! Best of luck to you." He waved then disappeared inside leaving a dumbfounded Lyra.

"Wow, that was weird," she said to Toto and Pidgey. Both her Pokemon looked like they were going to drop dead. Seeing their exhaustion made her feel tired as well. She stifled a yawn, placed the shoes in her bag and headed towards the Pokemon Centre.

.

Exiting the Pokemon Centre, Lyra was overwhelmed by immense heat. The sun ray's were shining directly in her face, blinding her temporarily. She held her arms up to shield her eyes and wandered forward, stopping every so often to wipe away sweat beads from her forehead. Heatwaves like this didn't happen very often in this part of the region, but sometimes they did, and unfortunately a heatwave had to happen today.

The heat dampened her mood and she noticed her Pidgey seemed to be struggling. The bird looked lethargic. To protect her Pidgey, she returned her back to her pokeball. She tried to do the same with Toto but the water-type crocodile Pokemon wanted to play instead. Toto aimed a stream of water at Lyra, knocking her off her feet from the force.

Instead of losing her temper, Lyra giggled. "You sure know how to cool things down quickly, don't you, Toto?" she laughed, patting her Pokemon's head. Toto wagged his tail and cuddled up against Lyra. "I would love to continue playing, but we have to visit Mr. Pokemon," she said, picking herself up from the now wet ground. She shook herself dry then continued moving, her faithful companion tagging along behind her. Route 30 was her next destination.

Lyra didn't cover a lot of ground when she was stopped by some bald adult male dressed in a white shirt and green pants standing outside his house underneath a tree. His eyes rested on her for a few brief moments then he rushed over to her, an excited gleam in his eyes. "Ah yes, you are perfect!"

Lyra wasn't sure what to say, so she just smiled. "Uh, hello?"

"I want you to have something!" Before Lyra could say anymore, the man darted into his house then reappeared with a small brown box. He thrust the item into her arms and explained it. "It's an apricot box! Here, you can have this apricot." He turned to the tree and pointed up, directing Lyra's attention. "That's an apricot. They come in different colours. Collect all the apricots you can and you'll find someone in Azalea Town who can turn them into special pokeballs!"

"Okay… thanks," Lyra said, placing the box into her bag. Did all starting out trainers receive such significant attention from non-trainers or was she a special case? It was all a little overwhelming. She hadn't even earned her first badge yet and people were already giving her gifts, as if she were some household superstar, or the Champion herself. "Um, is this the right way to Mr. Pokemon's house?"

He nodded. "Yup. Keep heading north. You can't miss it. There's only one path there."

She thanked him again and continued on her way. She noticed several grass patches up ahead, but spotted no Pokemon in sight. Perhaps the heat had driven them off? She was a little disappointed because it meant her Pokemon wouldn't gather any experience battling, but there was always tomorrow.

She spotted Mr. Pokemon's house up ahead and sighed with relief. It was _really_ hot now and all she wanted to do was sit inside and catch her breath for a few moments. A cold drink would be nice too. She entered. It was a nice comfortable place with two floors. There were photo frames of various Pokemon on the walls and a torn leather couch in the centre of the room. An analogue television was set up against a wall. She studied the screen for a few moments, watching a group of Pokemon sprinting down a race track.

Lyra pulled her attention away, and called for Mr. Pokemon's name. A few seconds later, a middle-aged man with rosy cheeks came rushing, almost tumbling down the stairs. He glanced at her, face lighting up. "Ah, you must be Lyra! Professor Elm said you would be arriving soon. I have something to give to you and I know you will look after it well."

This was the third person, excluding Professor Elm, to give her something special. She felt like she was the chosen one for being showered with gifts and praise, and she hadn't even done anything notable yet. "What do you have for me?"

"It's around here somewhere… ah, there it is." He hurried over to a couch and picked up a basket. In the basket there was an egg. He picked it up carefully, cradling it in his eyes and walked over to Lyra. "This is a Pokemon egg. I would like to look after it. Eggs only hatch when they are with other Pokemon you see." He handed it over and Lyra took it. Where was she going to put the egg? Would it fit in her bag? She couldn't hold it the entire time. "You'll have to carry it. Don't worry it'll only take a couple of days for the egg to hatch. The more kilometres you walk, the faster the egg will hatch. Sometimes it helps to run back and forth for awhile."

 _An excuse to do some additional exercise,_ she thought. She wondered what type of Pokemon was in that egg. "Thank you, Mr. Pokemon." She was about to exit the house when he called her name again.

"Don't go anywhere yet – Professor Oak is dropping by. While you wait, why don't you have a seat and I'll get you something cold to drink."

Lyra nodded. She sat down on the leather couch and made herself comfortable, while her Toto sat on the floor. As soon as Mr. Pokemon returned with a cold orange juice, Professor Oak entered the place. Lyra sat up immediately in awe. She had heard a lot about this man on the radio. This was the same man who started Red on his journey. Red was like her – a rookie trainer from a small town – and he had gone on to become a legendary trainer. Was she walking down a similar path to greatness? Or would her path take her down a different route?

"Lyra, it's a real pleasure to meet you. You know, I started Red on his journey two years ago," he said, giving Lyra a handshake. His hands were calloused, but his handshake was surprisingly gentle. "I know you will make Professor Elm and your hometown proud," he said, smiling. "Before you venture any further, I want to give you a Pokedex."

"Oh, I already have one of those," Lyra said, pulling out her own. "Professor Elm gave me one."

Professor Oak put it back in his bag, and nodded. "If you ever need a new one be sure to give me a call. A trainer mustn't go anywhere without one." He smiled again.

"Okay, sure."

"That's what I want to hear. Go out into the world, achieve your dreams and fill the Pokedex as best as you can! When you are done, show it to me and I'll give you a special gift. Good luck, Lyra!" He waved.

"Don't forget to take your cold drink, Lyra. It's hot outside," Mr. Pokemon said, giving her the plastic cup.

She accepted it and took a sip, feeling refreshed immediately. It was amazing what a cold drink could do on a hot day like this. It was just as effective as a nice massage. She said her goodbyes, exited the house and continued on her journey, her Toto following close behind. "I should probably go back and visit Professor Elm and show him the egg… but I'm keen to progress further. What should I do, Toto?" She glanced down.

The Pokemon gave her a toothy grin then hobbled over to the marker which read Route 31. Lyra smiled. "I thought as much. You are just as keen as me to venture further, aren't you? I'll call the professor later on and tell him the good news." Toto jumped from leg to leg in what Lyra interpreted as a happy dance. Together, they made their way to the next route.

.

Thanks to hidgjn for reviewing the previous chapter


	4. The Bleeding

**Chapter Three: The Bleeding**

Archer pinned the struggling Slowpoke mother to the ground, then climbed on her back to stop the creature from thrashing wildly. He had to give the worthless animal some form of credit – she was determined to fight him, but her strength was fading fast. "What a worthless Pokemon these Slowpoke are," he commented, bringing his head down besides the Slowpoke's torn right ear. "But never fear. Your death will not go wasted."

"Would you like to have the tail removed now, Archer?"

Archer turned his head to the right, facing an aqua-haired man, wearing an expression of hunger on his face. The man had an insatiable appetite when it came to inflicting harm on others and Pokemon. He had a natural talent for crafting weapons of cruelty and pain. It was for that reason alone Archer promoted him to the rank of commander. "Yes, chop it off."

"With pleasure, Archer!"

Archer glanced behind him as the man raised his rusted cleaver above the Slowpoke's tail. The tail moved back and forth then paused. That's when Proton brought his cleaver crashing down, slicing off the tail immediately eliciting a mournful cry of pain to exit the Slowpoke's mouth. "Ariana, collect as much as blood as possible," Archer said, turning to his only female friend.

If Proton was the torturer and executioner, then Ariana was the one who issued the death sentence. She lacked the physical strength to carry out the gruelling tasks, but she could convince others to do the work for her just with words. Once she had even convinced a trainer to kill himself after she defeated his weakling team.

She nodded, pulling out a glass vial from her pocket. Crawling over to the wounded animal, she lowered the vial to the pool of blood around the Slowpoke, and scooped up as much of the sticky liquid until it was full. She tucked it back in her pocket and rose to her knees, dusting herself clean of the sand grains that clung to her clothes. "We can't stay here for long, Archer. The local gym leader might come by and then we'll be in trouble.

Archer nodded. "Get what we need. I will see both of you back at the base."

"Yes, Archer," the two commanders chorused.

"Remember do not feel any remorse for your actions here today. We serve Giovanni, the one true ruler, and our actions are done in his name."

"Hail Giovanni!" Proton and Ariana chorused.

Archer crawled of the Slowpoke and kicked her in the ribs, forcing the dying animal to cough up some blood. "It's a shame Pretel is missing out – he would've loved to have been here today." Pretel was the final commander and the youngest of the group. He had just turned twenty-five the other week, but already he was exhibiting signs of a true leader. He helped Archer recruit members and he devised strategies to capturing Pokemon.

"Where is Petrel, anyway?" Proton asked, dipping a hand into the blood, moving his hand around until it was covered in it. He raised the hand to his mouth then stuck out his tongue, running it along the side, lapping up the blood. "It's not actually that bad. It's kinda sweet."

Archer pulled his eyes away, turning back to Ariana. "I've given him a task to carry out at the Goldenrod Radio Tower. He has a task involving messing with the radio transmitters to brainwash the minds of Pokemon through sound," Archer answered.

Ariana glanced down at the Slowpoke. "I'll take this tail back as souvenir then. I'm sure he'd love that," she said, twirling a lock of red hair around a finger. Archer nodded. She picked up the stub, brought it to her lips and kissed it. "He's going to love it. He'll probably attach it to his wall of Pokemon tails. So anyway, what do you plan to do with all the blood we've collected?"

"We're going to sell it the shops, disguising it as an energy drink for Pokemon. We'll say it's a drink that temporarily gives Pokemon a boost when in reality, it's a toxin that slowly shuts down the immune system overtime." His smirk widened. "It'll make us rich enough to pay out Giovanni's captors so he can be released."

"What if those snobs from the league sniff us out? You know Lance won't hesitate to destroy us when he finds us."

"Do not worry about the Champion. He believes he is stronger than us, but he can't close down all our operations."

"Maybe I should stay behind and distract him if he decides to pay us a visit," Ariana said. "We haven't collected all the tails yet." Proton nodded.

Archer considered it. There were still a few Slowpoke tails to collect. More tails meant more profit, and he could always do with more money. "All right. Both of you can stay here then. I'll return to our headquarters." Archer didn't like turning away from a fight, but as Giovanni once said, it was important to live to fight another day.

"What are you going to do, boss?" Ariana asked.

"I'm going to help you throw the league brats off our trail." He didn't explain it further, and his executives didn't ask for further details. He knew what he had to do, and it involved making a secret trip to the Dragon Den shrine in Blackthorn City. Ushering his companions out of the cave, he lead them to a secret opening in Azalea Forest. He hoped their actions here today would bring them one step closer to freeing Giovanni, and one step closer to defeating Red, the man solely responsible for driving Giovanni away. _I will free you, Giovanni._

.

Lance stormed into the entrance of the shrine, slamming the door behind him. His journey back to Blackthorn City hadn't been a fun one. The sun had been shining on the southern side of Johto, but the northern half was covered in rain. Now he was cold, soaking wet and mad. His Dragonite stood at his side, looking equally as frustrated as his master. Heading into the main area, he expected to see his grandfather, but instead spotted his cousin. His mood dampened.

She arched a brow, giving him a mocking questioning look. "Your girlfriend called," she said, giving Lance a teasing smile. She sauntered over, dangling a pink letter in between her fingers of her left hand.

To Lance's annoyance, there was a big love heart on the front of it. It could mean only one thing – Marina was at it again. "She's not my girlfriend." He snarled the words. That damn girl just would not give up. Just the mere mention of her name sent a shudder down his spine.

Clair opened the envelope and read the letter. The sheet of paper was also pink. "Dear Lance. You haven't replied to any of my letters and I was worried they might have gotten lost, so I'm sending you another one. You are the greatest and cutest of all the elite trainers in the world and I'd be totally honoured if you would watch my performance this coming weekend if you are not busy. Please let me know so I can make the arrangements. Your biggest fan, Marina." Clair threw her head back and laughed. She continued to laugh until tears were rolling down her cheeks.

"It's not funny," Lance scowled. He stepped forward and tried to grab the letter from his cousin, but she jumped aside.

"It _is_ funny! She is _so_ in love with you." Clair started laughing again, wiping tears from her eyes. "The trash out the back is full of letters from her." She glanced back down at the letter again, her finger running down the paper. "This is my favourite line. You are the greatest and cutest of all elite trainers in the world… ah ha ha ha ha! Someone needs to get their eyes checked."

"Shouldn't you be at the gym?" Lance replied, desperately trying to change the topic from his love life (well, lack thereof) to something else.

She snorted. "I've finished for the day. There's no one worthy enough to challenge me. I'm the best Dragon Master in the world."

Lance glared. "Correction. You're the _second_ best dragon master in the world, or have you forgotten about your dear old cousin?"

She stuck her tongue out at him. _Real mature, Clair_. "Fine. _Second best._ What's put you in such a foul mood anyway?" she snapped, turning her back to him. Lance bit back an angry reply. This was typical Clair behaviour. An argument was what she wanted.

"Where is our grandfather? I need to speak with him."

She glanced over her shoulder, flipping her long ponytail over her left. "Meditating. I wouldn't interrupt him. You know how he gets when someone interrupts his personal time. You can tell me though."

He shook his head. "No, I can't. This is serious business, Clair. This is not a game."

Rolling her eyes, Clair sighed loudly. "You are such a bore these days. Ever since you became Champion you've been acting like you've had a stick up your arse."

"At least one of us takes our responsibilities seriously," he retorted, feeling his own temper flare.

Her eyes flashed with anger. "I _do_ take my role as a gym leader seriously!"

It was too late to stop the argument now. "I've seen you battle, Clair. You taunt your opponents, you claim they are inferior to you… you don't treat your opponents with respect." He stared her down, but Clair didn't even flinch.

Clair kicked the floor spitting at the space before him. "You are the region's greatest hypocrite. You think you are better than everyone else… you should practice what you preach."

"I don't taunt my opponents during the battle unless they deserve it." It was people like that fool with the Chikorita who deserved it. "You'll always be a gym leader… you'll never be a Champion."

"And neither will you, Lance. At least, you'll never be a _true_ Champion. I _earned_ my position as gym leader. Unlike you, _dear cousin,"_ she sneered, knowing the latter part of her sentence hit home. "Yeah, that's right. I figured it out. You're always showing-off, and I figured you were trying to cover up something. Red gave you the title." She turned on her heel and stormed towards the exit then stopped in front of a photo frame.

"Clair…" he warned.

She looked over her shoulder as if to make sure he was watching closely, then proceeded to remove the frame off the wall. She let it drop and pretended to be upset. "Sorry, my fingers must have slipped," she said, turning around, to storm out of the shrine.

Lance walked over to the fallen frame, bent down and turned it over. The photo was of his team and himself receiving the Champion title. He was the youngest of the Elite Four – most trainers never reached that level until they were in their mid-twenties, but his team of carefully chosen dragon-type (and draconic looking) Pokemon had earned him a place.

The photo was, of course, a lie. It had been taken a couple of days after Red had given him the title to prove to the world he had secretly defeated Red. It was actually Red's idea – after all, it was the only way to prove he had earned the title. The frame was broken now. There was a crack running down the middle. Shattered. That's what the rest of his life would be if the truth ever came out.

He picked up the broken frame and stood up then hurled it across the room, letting it smash against the far wall. His Dragonite flinched, seemingly confused, but quickly shook it off. His first Dragonite looked at him as if asking what to do next? "We're going back to the Indigo League. From now on, I'm doing things _my_ way."

He wasn't going to take advice from Clair. Nor was he going to listen to his grandfather's warnings no more. No one had the authority to tell him what to do. He was the Champion. And that meant more than just being the top trainer. The region was in trouble and it was his responsibility to solve it, no matter what it took.

.

Lyra's current route was an uneventful one in battling terms. There was only one trainer and he specialized in bug-types. His team consisted of three Caterpie's and one Weedle. It was hardly worth the effort, but her Pidgey and Toto were eager to battle. The grass patches weren't offering much excitement either. The sun was still out, and the temperatures were causing Pokemon to seek shelter. Every once and awhile though, she'd come across a Rattata, but she wanted to save her pokeballs for a Pokemon she really wanted as part of her final team.

Eventually, she found something that caught her interest. There was a cave up ahead and a signpost right next to the entrance. She hurried over to the sign and read the bold print. "Dark Cave." She chuckled. "I hope I brought a flashlight." Opening her bag, she searched around for a torch but found nothing. _Arceus' breath,_ she cursed. Toto was looking up at her, looking slightly nervous. "Don't worry, we won't go too far in," she assured Toto.

Toto seemed to relax a little and followed Lyra inside the cave. It was dark. Very dark. She wouldn't have been able to see her own hands if it wasn't for the light coming from the entrance. _It would be wise not to stray too far,_ she thought. Not only was it dark inside, but it was humid and deathly quiet. She felt Toto's stubby arms wrapping around her leg.

With great caution, she walked a few metres north, walking further into the darkness. The further she strayed from the light, the more nervous she felt, so she turned around and quickly came back. Apparently, there were Zubat within these caves. Having a bat-like Pokemon would be useful in dark places, but how could she catch one if she couldn't even see?

There was a flutter of wings. Lyra froze. Toto growled softly. Lyra dared herself to look up then wished she hadn't. There! A Zubat! It was hanging down from below looking directly at her. Or at least she thought it was. She couldn't locate any eyes on the bat. The bat bared its fangs. Lyra screamed.

The bat dropped down from the ceiling and dove towards her, its wings beating the air frantically. She threw herself onto the ground, pressing her belly on the cave floor and stopped moving. If she didn't move, perhaps the bat wouldn't be able to sense her. "Toto," she whispered. "Use Water Gun!"

Toto leapt into action, aiming a burst of water at the bat. The bat avoided the attack, hovered in the air and opened its mouth wide. Lyra frowned, unsure of what was happening. "Use Water Gun again, Toto." This time Toto didn't obey. It looked at her with a blank gaze. "Uh, Toto?" she asked. Toto turned away and walked around in a circle making soft growling noises. Confused, Lyra pulled out her Pokedex and brought up information about Zubat.

 _Zubat. While flying, it constantly emits ultrasonic waves from its mouth to check its surroundings._

 _Those invisible waves probably confused predators to allow time for the Zubat to escape,_ she concluded.

While Toto walked around in circles, Lyra summoned her Pidgey. Pidgey's eyesight was no better than Toto's in this area, but Pidgey was more agile. "Use Tackle!" Pidgey jumped into the air, flapped her wings to gain some altitude and hurled herself at the Zubat. Zubat fell to the cave floor, as Lyra's Pidgey kept it pinned to the ground.

"Use Tackle again!"

Pidgey nodded, jumped off Zubat then charged again. Before Zubat could gain enough height, it was thrown across the floor, this time hard enough to knock it out cold. Lyra heaved a sigh then threw a Pokeball at the poor bat. The ball rocked to the right, left then the right again before it paused. Three seconds… two seconds… one second… success! Zubat had been caught.

"We did it!" Lyra cheered, standing up from the ground. Pidgey flapped her wings then came down to land, ruffling her feathers, looking quite smug. Toto recovered from his confusion status effect, and the young crocodile looked at Lyra apologetically. "It's all right, Toto. It's not your fault." She picked up the pokeball and attached it to her pokebelt.

Pidgey and Toto ceased their celebration dance. They both froze. Noticing their sudden stance, Lyra too froze. She slowly glanced over her shoulder, squinting into the darkness. There was some faint fluttering, followed by a few shrieks before a whole colony of Zubat's emerged from the darkness. No words needed to be said. She made a dash for the entrance. Pidgey and Toto made frightened noises and followed Lyra towards the safety of the sunlight.

She threw herself out of the cave, and landed on the grass outside. Pidgey and Toto landed beside her. "That was too close to comfort, I'm not going back in there again without a light next time," Lyra said, panting, as she rolled over onto her back. She then started to laugh. "But it wasn't a waste. I caught a Zubat." She held her newest companion's pokeball in the air and smiled. She was halfway in finalizing her team. Her next stop was Violet City.

.

Slowpoke were dying and the numbers were growing with each passing day. On Monday two had died. On Tuesday, the number had doubled to four deaths. It was now Wednesday and the neighbours had reported there had been at least another three Slowpoke deaths. Bugsy wanted to track down the people responsible for hurting the gentle creatures, but he had to remain at the gym. A gym leader was not allowed to leave on any condition unless specifically asked to by the Champion.

Lance hadn't said a word and so Bugsy remained here in the gym, powerless to do nothing while more Slowpoke were murdered by cruel people. He hadn't caught a glimpse of the culprit, yet the neighbours had claimed they were wearing black clothes with an 'R' letter emblazoned on their jackets. The 'R' could only mean one thing. Team Rocket had returned.

"Bugsy, you have to settle down," Kurt said, trying to calm the bug-type specialist.

"I can't! I feel I need to do something!" he said, pacing back and forth, legs unable to sit still.

"The Champion is probably on his way now to solve the problem."

Bugsy rolled his eyes. "Yeah, he wants to solve it himself so he can be the hero while the rest of us standby and do nothing."

Kurt looked at him with impatient eyes. "If it makes you feel any better, I can explore the Slowpoke Well before Lance arrives."

"But what about your back – you said it's been giving your problems. I don't think it would be a smart idea for you to climb down there. It should be me. It should be my responsibility to look after this town and its inhabitants. My bugs can see perfectly fine in dim light and they'll be able to take on anything," Bugsy explained, frowning.

Kurt moved to stand at the door's entrance. "I'm going to head down into the well. I've been looking after the Slowpoke for over three decades now."

Bugsy blocked his path, shaking his head. "You are going to go back home and rest. If you fall down and break your back again, your granddaughter is going to throw a tantrum."

"You cannot leave the gym to embark on this quest."

"Then I'll find somebody else to head on down. The next trainer who passes through can investigate. If they've received the badge from Falkner, they should be strong enough to handle anything down there."

"Bugsy…"

"I'm the gym leader of Azalea Town, Kurt. You're going back home even if I have to take you back there myself." He opened the door and exited the gym, the elderly man following behind him.

.

Violet City was a large place – it was twice the size of New Bark Town, in fact. Unlike her hometown, there were no grass patches here. The ground was covered in beautiful coloured grey tiles, giving the city quite a magnificent grand feeling. There was even a lake nearby with a bridge connecting to a tall three storey tower. She spotted the Pokemon Centre to her right, and in the background, she spotted the gym and the Poke Mart. There was another building behind it and the signpost at the front read, 'Trainers' School'. Interesting.

She walked around the city some more and spotted two other routes. One led to Route 32, and the west path led to Route 36. She wasn't quite sure which path to take yet, but there was no point in thinking about that for the time being. Take on the gym now? Or take on Sprout Tower? Perhaps she ought to explore Route 32 to catch some other Pokemon? If she caught another one now, she could use Sprout Tower to train them.

That sounded like the most reasonable plan, but first a trip to the Pokemon Centre was needed. She went inside and spotted a lady behind the counter who looked very familiar to the one in Cherrygrove. Did all the assistants look the same? Weird. She shook her head, walked up to the counter and handed her Pokemon over to the nurse. A few minutes passed, and she soon had her team back in her possession.

It was time to head to Route 32 to catch her next Pokemon. She walked through the route gate, and exited soon afterwards. There was a path of grass to her immediate right and she ventured into it. She couldn't see any Pokemon in the long grass, but Totodile seemed to have caught the scent of something. Following her trusty little sidekick, she soon came across a cute little blue sheep eating grass.

She pulled out her Pokedex.

 _Mareep. If static electricity builds in its body, its fleece doubles in volume. Touching it will shock you._

Mareep sounded like a powerful Pokemon to have. An electric-type Pokemon would be useful for tackling any Water-type Pokemon in the future. Besides, it was also adorable. She knew she just had to have it.

"Zubat!"

Zubat popped out of his Pokeball and hovered in the air. Lyra was a little unsure if Zubat could function properly during daylight, but the bat seemed to be doing quite fine. "Use Supersonic!" The bat obliged and emitted his confusion attack. Unfortunately, the sheep avoided the attack, moving away to graze on some other grass. "Use Leech Life!" she declared.

A small tiny seed burst from the bat's mouth, landing on the Mareep's head. The Mareep didn't even flinch. _Well, that was useless_ , thought Lyra. Zubat's other move was Astonish, but that did little damage as well. The Mareep was still ignoring her, finding the grass far more fascinating than some Zubat and its trainer.

"Sorry, Zubat. Maybe next time." She recalled her Zubat then brought out her Pidgey. Flying-types were weak to electrical-types, but she hoped Pidgey's speed would give her the upper hand. "Pidgey, use Tackle!" The little squat Pidgey gained some altitude, then threw her body against the female Mareep. Now the sheep was enraged. Tiny electrical bolts radiated from her fleece.

The Mareep counter-attacked with a tackle of her own, throwing Lyra's Pidgey off balance. Pidgey toppled backwards, but regained its composure and took to the air again. Lyra used Tackle again, managing to land a blow on the sheep's head. A critical hit! Lyra threw a fist into the air cheering loudly, but the battle had not been won yet. "Use Tackle again, Pidgey!"

Pidgey used the same move for a third time causing the Mareep to tremble. The sheep was low on energy. It was the right moment to throw a pokeball. Lyra threw a ball. This was her third one – only two pokeballs remained. White light encased the Mareep. The ball rocked back and forth. Right. Left. Then right again. The suspense was unnerving. Then… Success! Mareep had been caught!

Only two spots remained on her team. Well, technically it was three because she didn't plan on taking Pidgey all the way to the end. Only one flying-type was needed and that spot was taken by Zubat. Time to head back to the Pokemon Centre then it was time to take on the Sprout Tower challenge.

.

Entering the tower was like walking into a graveyard. It was awfully quiet, somewhat chilling yet oddly relaxing. Eerie music played, and Lyra wondered where the sound was coming from. She saw no speakers, but suspected there were speakers hiding up in the corners somewhere. At least it was nice and cool inside which was a pleasant change from the heat outside. She spotted an elderly man wearing robes nearby and walked over to introduce herself. "I'm Lyra, and I'm ready to take on the Sprout Tower challenge!"

The man nodded. "Fight your way through the tower and you'll earn a prize at the end. Good luck to you. Climb the tower to begin," he said, pointing to the nearby ladder.

Lyra nodded, placing her hands and feet on the rungs. She started to climb upwards until she finally reached the first level. A sage, who looked identical to the one at the entrance, awaited her. She found a name badge. Sage Nico. "I will test you and your Pokemon."

He summoned his Pokemon – a Bellsprout. _What a strange looking plant,_ Lyra thought. She allowed Toto to take the first battle, but regretted that immediately when Bellsprout used a Razor Leaf. Toto yelped, and squeezed his eyes shut, wincing from the pain. Lyra cursed herself for her moment of stupidity. Water-types were weak against grass-types. She withdrew Toto and summoned Zubat instead. Zubat was still incredibly weak, but she was going to persevere with him. "Use Astonish!"

The Bellsprout winced, but didn't seem that affected by it. It countered with Razor Leaf which little damage. _This was going to be a long battle,_ Lyra thought. "Keep using Astonish, Zubat!" The cycle repeated until the Bellsprout fainted. Two more Bellsprout were summoned. This repeated until the other two fainted. Zubat returned to his pokeball, and Lyra advanced to the next sage named Sage Chow.

Sage Chow, like Sage Nico, used Bellsprout. Three Bellsprout to be precise. Again, she used Astonish until all three were defeated. Zubat became stronger with each battle and Lyra hoped Zubat was close to being able to learn another move. Sage Edmond was next. He too had three Bellsprout. Lyra was beginning to get sick of battling the strange-looking plants. So far she had fought and defeated nine of the blasted Pokemon.

She suspected there were more to come which made sense considering the building was called Sprout Tower. On the second level she was pleased to note there were was only one sage. Sage Jin, a trainer with only one Bellsprout, thank Arceus. This battle was tougher, and she knew it was because the Bellsprout had received better training. Its attacks hit harder, but not enough for her to be concerned. Zubat once again triumphed. Now onto the third and final level. Being the third and final level, there was less navigating to do. The path was straight and guarded by two sages. Sage Neal and Sage Troy. _More Bellsprouts_.

Sage Neal had one. This battle reminded her of the battle with Sage Jin as this Bellsprout was equally as strong as the previous one. Zubat battled hard and gained Lyra another victory, but the bat was beginning to tire now after all these continuous battles. She brought out her Pidgey as she faced off against Sage Troy. Once again she battled a Bellsprout. _Surely, this had to be the last one,_ she thought.

The Bellsprout fainted. Sage Troy summoned his next one, and Lyra was glad to see it wasn't another Bellsprout. The Pokemon was an owl. A one legged owl to be precise, or at least looked like it had one leg. She pulled out her PokeDex.

 _Hoot Hoot. It always stands on one foot. It changes feet so fast, the movement can rarely be seen._

That explained why it looked like it had one leg. Hoot Hoot hit a little harder than the Bellsprout, but fortunately Pidgey was of equal level. Pidgey fought back starting the battle with Sand Attack to lower the accuracy of its opponent. Temporarily blinded, Hoot Hoot missed its second attack, giving Pidgey the advantage. It wasn't long before the Hoot Hoot fell. "Well done. Now you may face Elder Li."

The sage bowed allowing Lyra to bypass him to face the Elder Sage. The man was easy to spot for he was wearing a fancy purple and yellow robe. Standing in front of him was a red-headed boy… Silver. Lyra almost scowled at the sight. What was he doing here? "I worry about your Pokemon. You do not treat your partners kindly."

"You are too weak! It was hardly worth the effort!" Silver said, sneering. "Give me my prize you foolish old man," he demanded, giving the Elder a hard stare.

The Elder Li sighed and gave the boy what he wanted. Silver snatched the item away and turned around only to find Lyra standing a few feet away. He stormed over, spat at her feet then marched off towards the exit. What in the name of Arceus was that about? She shook her head at Silver's retreating figure and strode over to the Elder Li.

.

Thanks for reading!


	5. Wise Words

Chapter Four: Wise Words

Lance had returned to the league briefly just to change into something else. The Elite Four members had tried to grab his attention, but he had ignored them, not wishing to spend a single second longer than necessary. He was now in the Slowpoke Well, just a short trip to the east from Azalea Town. It was breeding season for Slowpoke and they often came to the Slowpoke Well in Azalea Town to raise families.

It was the perfect place for them – the well was dimly lit and damp, turning off all but daring trainers away from the well. But Lance hadn't come here to observe the mating habits of the Slowpoke. No, he had come here to find the culprits responsible for the injured Slowpoke. What were Team Rocket's reasons for killing Slowpoke? Were they hoping to make some form of profit?

He climbed down the ladder and headed inside the entrance to cave, wrapping his cloak around him. Water fell on his head as he walked in, but he was not worried. Dragonite followed behind his master as they wandered deeper into the cave. It was hot. Really _stinking_ hot. It did not help he was wearing all black, making the heat much more unbearable.

His Dragonite on the other hand, seemed to enjoy the temperature. That was one negative to being a Dragon Master – he had to train often in hot weather otherwise his cold-blooded team of Pokemon would be dramatically weakened. It was why ice-type moves did so much damage to them. No matter how many times he trained in the hot sun, he never seemed to be able to adapt.

He wiped away a few sweat beads then started to fan himself as they delved deeper yet into the well. A refreshing, but powerful, cool gust of wind blew in from behind, which almost knocked him over. He cursed, then turned around and noticed his Dragonite was flapping his wings to keep his master cool. "I appreciate what you're trying to do, Dragonite, but there's no need to do this. I'll manage."

Dragonite frowned, not at all convinced, but ceased his flapping. They entered a brighter part of the cave. That was strange. This part was further down, yet the light was stronger here? Before he could investigate further, he heard the moans of Slowpoke fill the air. Pained, mournful cries, as if the Slowpoke themselves were singing a slow, sad symphony.

One of the said Slowpokes bumped into his leg. Lance looked down and found a pregnant Slowpoke gazing up at him. She was barely able to walk, having to drag her round body across the floor. There were purple bruises all over her body and her tail was hanging loosely by a mere flap of skin. A trail of blood stretched across the ground. The Slowpoke moaned again, looking at him with pleading eyes.

There was nothing he could do to help the Slowpoke. He hated himself for being so useless. The Slowpoke was dying and nothing could save her. A quick merciful death was all that he could grant her. "Dragonite…" he started, gazing up at the dragon. "You know what needs to be done." Dragonite looked at Lance then shook his head. He stepped in front of the dying Slowpoke. Lance sighed. "If I could save the Slowpoke I would, but I can't and you know that."

A few moments of inactivity passed until Dragonite obeyed. With a quick, but powerful, swipe of his claw, the Dragonite struck the Slowpoke killing it instantly. Lance hated for this to happen. It pained him greatly, but he could see no other option. Deformed Slowpoke had no chance of success in the wild and no trainer would want to burden themselves with a wounded one.

"Who dares enters the Slowpoke Well?" a voice called out.

Lance turned around and spotted a man and a woman run up to him. They were both a head shorter than himself and dressed in tight black clothing. There was a large 'R' imprinted on their shirts. Team Rocket indeed. His grandfather's visions had been right. He wondered why they were here now creating trouble, but villains seemed to be attracted to dark places. But why now and how? Hadn't Red defeated Team Rocket three years ago and shut down their operations?

The woman stepped forward, dark black curls falling around her head. She trained a steely dark gaze on him and pointed a finger. "He's snooping around. We ought to put him in his place," the woman sneered, reaching down to grab a pokeball.

Lance didn't take kindly to threats, especially from a duo of murderous thieves. "Dragonite… teach these fools a lesson they won't soon forget," he replied coolly. Dragonite stepped forward, eager to leap into action.

"A Dragonite, how cute," the woman sneered. She reached down to her belt, grabbed a pokeball and threw it a few feet in front of her. A Zubat appeared.

Lance snorted. "A Zubat? Don't insult me."

"Julia! What are you doing?" a sharp female voice snapped from behind. The Team Rocket grunt, Julia froze then turned around. A tall slender woman with short red hair stepped in between the two grunts, her eyes narrowed in what appeared to be disgust. She was wearing white clothes; Lance had a feeling it was to indicate rank.

"Ariana!" Julia bowed her head. "He was snooping around. I thought I could stop him." Her male companion remained silent, bowing his head respectfully. Whoever this woman was, it was obvious she was in status of power.

"Do you not know who this is? Do you honestly expect to win against the Champion, the Dragon Master, Lance? Get out of here and return to base before I tell our leader about your incompetence," Ariana snapped, pointing towards the exit. Julia recalled her Pokemon, and exited the cave with her partner. Once they had left, Ariana turned to Lance. She lifted her hands and smiled. "It's a beautiful sight, isn't it? This is Team Rocket's handiwork."

"You are causing the deaths of Slowpoke," Lance snarled. "Cutting off their tails… leaving them here to die… and for what? Money?"

Her grin widened. "I don't have to tell you anything about our plans. All you need to know is there is nothing you can do to defeat us. We're back and we're stronger than ever. Surrender now and we'll be nice. Refuse… and well… you'll find out soon enough. What's it going to be, _champion?_ " she taunted.

He suppressed a growl. "Leave."

"Oh, I don't think so. We're not done here yet," she jeered, wagging a finger. "But he will be done soon and then we can leave." She reached down to her belt for a pokeball and threw it out onto the ground. A purple cobra appeared, its forked tongue flicking out of its mouth every few seconds. "Arbok, use Ice Fang!" The snake rushed towards Dragonite, its fangs turning into temporary icicles.

"Dragonite, Dragon Rush!" Lance ordered. Dragonite lowered his head then rushed forward, slamming into the cobra. Unfortunately for Dragonite, the Arbok managed to sink its fangs into the Dragonite's neck. Dragonite howled; ice moves did major damage to a dragon. "Hyper Beam!" he commanded, holding his ground.

Dragonite recovered from the attack, and threw the snake off, then hurled a glowing beam in its direction. The snake was thrown across the room. Lance felt a brief moment of satisfaction. No more Arbok to worry about. But what was this? Ariana was… laughing? He felt a stab of annoyance.

"You sure do like to throw your weight around, don't you, _champion?_ Another move like that and you'll bring the whole place down," she said, arching her neck back to look up at the roof. She was right. He spotted a few stalactites tremble slightly from the ceiling. Another powerful move and they would fall. This was potentially a dangerous situation.

"Fall back, Dragonite," Lance said. Dragonite looked at him, huffing slightly, but did as obeyed. The dragon folded his wings against his back and waited patiently for his next command. "Why are you doing this?"

A sombre expression took hold of her face. "To restore our pride. The former champion ruined us… he destroyed everything we worked hard for… now it's time for our revenge." A smirk took hold of her features, giving the lady an almost maniacal appearance. "But you're not a true champion. As some say, you're just keeping the seat warm for the rightful champion to arrive. You will never defeat us no matter how hard you try."

He stepped forward, jaw clenched. It was one thing to hold back during a fight, but to be mocked by a member of Team Rocket? "You think I'm just going to let you walk out of here unharmed?" He paused then spoke further. "I will hunt down every member of your organization and destroy you one by one."

She rolled her eyes, and opened her mouth to fire back a response, but instead was interrupted by a phone call. "Yes, I'm still here, Proton. In fact, I've got the Champion here as well. You've got all the tails now? All right. I'll head back to the base. What should I do about a certain snoop? Oh, all right. Understood." She put the Xtransceiver away then turned back to Lance. "As much as I'd love to stay here, I can't. The life of a Team Rocket Executive is a busy one. Follow me and you'll regret it." She entered the exit and Lance followed her. He couldn't save the Slowpoke, but he could stop them from causing more harm.

He followed her from a distance, occasionally stopping behind stalagmites to hide for a few seconds. She took a sharp turn right. He followed her path and took the same right turn which lead him into a narrow and a dark passage way. There was no light here at all. He stopped at the entrance. "Sorry Dragonite, but I need you back inside your pokeball. You won't be able to fit," Lance said, turning to the dragon.

Dragonite lowered his head, but resigned himself to the white light. Lance returned the pokeball to his belt and stepped inside the narrow passageway. He took a few cautious steps, stopping every few moments to feel his surroundings. He could hear footsteps a few feet away and knew Ariana was just up ahead.

"So you decided to follow after all? Guess it was better than just standing around like an idiot."

He took a few steps forward then came to an abrupt stop. He tried to move forward, but found he couldn't. Something had gotten stuck. He suspected his cape had gotten caught on a stalagmite. _Dammit. Another ruined cape._ He gave it a hard tug and freed himself, but in doing so, had caused him to topple forwards on a bad angle. A _really_ bad angle. He landed on a rock. He was soon introduced to a new world of pain.

"I should've warned you about _that_ rock… must've slipped my mind," Ariana cackled, her laughter echoing throughout the cave. "Be seeing you, Champion… that is, if you ever manage to find your way out of here." He heard her laugh again, as she ventured further through the passageway. He was alone now; alone in a secret passageway in complete darkness with no clue on how to get out.

.

The battle against the Elder had just begun and things weren't looking up for her at all. The Bellsprouts had been easy enough to defeat, but that cursed Hoot Hoot was a nightmare. The owl had immediately used Hypnosis successfully putting her Mareep to sleep. Zubat, Toto and Pidgey were also asleep thanks to the move. There were only so many potions she could use to keep her team in the match.

She clenched her jaw shut, keeping her arms at her sides. This battle was testing her patience for sure. It was not a match of strength, but rather a one of skill and strategy. Put the opponent to sleep, do some damage and put the opponent to sleep again when the opponent woke up. She regretted not purchasing any Awakening potions, but she hadn't thought her luck would be this bad.

Every time Mareep awakened, she was put back to sleep immediately. Really frustrating. Lyra wanted to scream. How on earth was she supposed to win if her Pokemon spent the majority of the match sleeping? The Elder was watching her closely, judging her reaction. She willed herself to remain calm by taking in a deep breath. _A test of patience,_ she told herself. _Pull yourself together, Lyra._

Mareep took more damage from the Hoot Hoot sending her health into the red zone. The situation did not look good. She was down to her last potion now. Risk using the potion? Or save it for the rest of her team and allow hew newly caught Mareep to faint? She didn't want any of her Pokemon to suffer a knock out – that seemed too cruel, but she knew that was the way of battles. Sometimes sacrifices had to be made for a win.

She took a gamble and used her final potion to heal her Mareep, feeding the liquid down her throat, hoping the sheep would wake up to have a chance to counter attack. Of course, there was a strong chance she'd be put back to sleep again, but battles were about taking risks. Mareep awakened, and looked at Lyra, meetings her trainer's determined eyes. Mareep nodded, planting her feet into the ground, seeming more confident than before.

"Hoot Hoot, use Hypnosis!"

Mareep managed to fight off the urge to sleep. The Elder seemed pleased by this.

Lyra thrust her finger forward. "Mareep, use Tackle!"

Unfortunately, her Mareep wasn't strong enough to learn Thundershock yet - she knew electrical attacks did well against flying-types. That was a fact she had picked up from eavesdropping on Ethan's conversation with Professor Elm one hot morning. Mareep lowered her head and charged forward, throwing her body at the Hoot Hoot. Hoot Hoot toppled backwards, but regained its composure.

"Use Peck!" Hoot Hoot hopped forward, and lunged at the Mareep. It struck Mareep on the head. Mareep cried out, small electrical sparks radiating from her body. Some of the sparks jumped onto the Hoot Hoot, causing the bird to make a harsh squawking noise. Lyra pulled her PokeDex and opened a page regarding her Mareep. The Mareep had the ability to cause paralysis to an opponent if it was struck by a physical attack.

She couldn't stop a wide smile from crossing her face. "Use Tackle again, Mareep!" The Hoot Hoot couldn't move and Mareep managed to land a critical blow against the owl. Hoot Hoot fell backwards and lay on the ground, unmoving. Lyra threw a fist into the air and cheered, then rushed forward to give her Mareep a hug, receiving a weak electrical shock in return. "We did it!" Her Mareep responded with a soft bleating sound.

"Well done. You have shown me how tight your bond is with your Pokemon," the Elder Li said, as his Hoot Hoot returned to its pokeball. He walked towards Lyra holding a potion in his hand. The potion wasn't like any one she had seen in the shops – the liquid inside the bottle was a shade of magenta. Magical healing potion? "Take this special move. It's called Flash."

"Flash? What does it do?" She had seen it advertised in the shops for a hefty price of two-hundred poke dollars. That seemed a little too expensive this early in the journey.

"Use it when you find yourself in a dark place. Teach it to one of your capable Pokemon," he added, giving Lyra the potion.

"Okay, thanks." She placed it in her bag.

The Elder bowed his head, smiling. "You have proven yourself worthy of taking on Violet City Gym. Go now and strengthen your bond even further." He bowed his head, and Lyra made her way back down.

Before she could take on the gym, she needed to heal her hardworking Pokemon and buy a few more potions. Then it was time to gain a bit more experience, upgrade the move sets of her Pokemon before taking on the gym challenge. She would have that gym badge.

.

Fiery pain travelled through every part of his body. Even a mere attempt to move his arms from their awkward angles resulted in immense pain. He still couldn't see a damn thing and that wasn't going to change anytime too soon. His Pokemon were far too bulky to fit in this narrow passageway… and besides, he didn't have Flash.

He lay there like a cripple, struggling to fight off the pain so he could think of a way to get out of this stinkin' well. Nothing came to mind. He tried to force himself up off the ground, but that only brought on a new wave of pain. He was helpless, much like a Magikarp, flailing around on dry ground. Not exactly his ideal situation to be in.

A wave of nausea gripped his mind and he was half-tempted to expel whatever was inside onto the ground. Somehow, he managed to hold it all in. He could hear the voices of Ariana and a few other Team Rocket members echo throughout the place. Their voices were faint, but he could make out a few words such as 'Champion', 'not a bother', and 'Archer.'

Just then, he felt something vibrate at his belt. He reached down with his right hand, wincing as pain shot down his arm. Fingers opened the pouch, and grasped the surface of his Xtransceiver. He had almost forgotten all about that glorious piece of technology thanks to the pain. He did his best to answer it.

"Hey Lance, it's me, Koga. Just thought I'd remind you that it's Karen's twenty-first birthday tomorrow and you have yet to sign her card. So, get here as soon as possible!" Koga hung up on the phone.

Karen's birthday party. Naturally, he had forgotten all about that being so caught up in his own problems. The final Elite Four member insisted on having a party and she expected all the boys of the league to buy her something special. If he didn't make any purchases for her, she'd refuse to do the cooking for the week. That would be a problem since none of the boys knew how to cook. Karen was a handful; wild and tough, and sometimes a little intimidating, just like her dark-type Pokemon. He groaned inwardly.

He looked at the Xtransceiver again. He could give his cousin a call. As much as he hated seeking assistance from his prideful cousin, he needed her now. He hit the numbers and waited. After three dials, Clair picked up. "Clair. It's me, Lance. I need your help right now. I'm at the Slowpoke Well in Azalea Town. You'll find a narrow passageway off the normal path," he said. He paused then added, "It's… an emergency and you're the only person I thought to contact."

He heard her snort. "What are you doing there? Practicing your tough guy routine in the dark?" she jeered. "Sorry, you're on your own. I've got a gym to manage." She hung up immediately.

Well, that hurt. So Clair was still mad at him from their argument earlier. He grumbled, dropping his Xtransceiver onto the ground. Now what was he going to do?

.

Lyra reached the entrance of the gym. The building hadn't been hard to miss, as it had a big fancy roof on it with a symbol of a pokeball on the top. The sign 'Violet City Gym' also made locating the place easy. Before she entered the place, she made sure to check up on her trainer's guidebook for helpful information regarding gyms. There was an entire chapter dedicated to the gyms, but she wasn't too keen on reading it all in depth so she skimmed over the major details.

A gym battle was straightforward. Each gym was designed in a particular way to represent the overall theme of the gym which gave the challenger an idea of what was to come. Gym trainers were stationed around the building to lessen the chances of a challenger making it to the end in one attempt. Some could be avoided, but the book recommended the challenger battle them for extra practice. As for the gym leader, the book explained they usually had the strongest Pokemon of their type. A gym leader's Pokemon were normally stronger than a usual one of the same species because of the specialized training. When a gym leader was defeated, they had to give the challenger a badge. Eight badges were needed to gain entrance into the region's league.

She put the book away and stepped inside the building, and was immediately greeted by a funny looking man with a brown crew cut. He was dressed in all matching brown clothes and his eyes were shielded with a pair of dark-tinted sunglasses. Even his beard was brown. _Strange man_. "Hey there lass! I'm the national gym advisor and I'm here to share a tip with you that will tip the odds in your favour! This gym is home to flying-type trainers. I recommend you use an electric or rock-type Pokemon for this battle. Good luck, lass!"

She didn't have a rock-type Pokemon, but she did have an electric-type. Mareep had learned the move Thundershock and that was sure to tip the battle in her favour. At least she hoped it would. The gym leader most likely had a few tricks up his or her sleeves to counter-attack their weaknesses. She looked ahead and found a wooden lift. Placing a foot on it, she jerked her foot back when the lift made a funny whirring noise. The lift hadn't fallen down, so she stepped back on and was taken up to the upper level, where an 'S' shape path awaited her.

There were two trainers standing on the wooden platform, both of which could be avoided if she chose to take the glass path. But why avoid the battles that could strengthen her team? She placed a foot onto the wooden path and made her way to the first trainer whom she noticed was called Bird Keeper Abe.

The teenage male looked at her and smirked. "You must be confident to take the hard path over the easy one. I'm going to make you regret that decision!"

Lyra snorted. "Go for it, Mareep!"

Mareep stood before its master and stared down the opposite trainer. Abe grinned, and called out his own Pokemon, a brown small bird, with a short hooked beak. Lyra consulted her Pokedex.

 _Spearow. It flaps its short wings to flush out insects from tall grass. It then plucks them with its stubby beak._

Sounded like a cruel avian. Lyra was thankful she didn't have any bug-type Pokemon.

"Spearow, use Peck!"

The small bird moved surprisingly fast. It quickly threw Mareep of its feet with a sharp stab on the head. Mareep's fleece generated sparks and the Spearow was paralysed. "Use Thundershock, Mareep!" Lyra declared. Small bolts of electricity struck the Spearow causing it great damage. The Spearow staggered, then fell over, its eyes crossed.

Bird Keeper Abe looked stunned, but quickly shook it off. "You got lucky."

Lyra recalled her Pokemon then moved to the next one. This time, she let Totodile battle. Her trusty companion was eager to fight and immediately jumped out in front of Lyra. Her opponent, Bird Keeper Rod, summoned his first Pokemon. A Pidgey. Pidgey's weren't that tough. "Toto, use Water Gun!" A stream of water exited Toto's mouth, smashing into the Pidgey. The Pidgey was immediately drenched in water, and flapped furiously to dry itself off.

"Tackle!" The wet Pidgey tackled Totodile, but its move left hardly any damage. It seemed to be on a lower level than the Spearow she had recently fought. It was either that or her Pokemon were vastly superior.

"Use Water Gun again, Toto!" The second Water Gun was enough to knock the Pidgey out, but before she could celebrate, Rod summoned another Pidgey. The same attack cycle occurred and once again, Lyra claimed victory.

"You might have beaten my friend and I, but Falkner is far stronger than us combined," Rod boasted.

Lyra edged away from Rod and continued to move forward. There was a young male whom she suspected was in his late teens, standing alone dressed in blue robes. Like the gym advisor, Falkner seemed to be a fan of matching clothes and hair. His robes were blue, his jacket was a light blue, and his hair was also blue.

"I'm Falkner, the Violet Pokemon Gym Leader! People say you can clip flying-type Pokemon's wings with a jolt of electricity… I won't allow such insults to bird Pokemon! I'll show you the real power of the magnificent bird Pokemon!" he said, his eyes cold and emotionless. Did all gym leaders wear such a face or was it just a mark they wore when on duty?

She stepped up, feeling nerves creep up on her. This wasn't some common battle against another trainer. She was going up against a specialist gym leader, one who specialized in the power of flying-type Pokemon. Falkner summoned his first Pokemon and Lyra wasn't surprised to see a Pidgey. That she could take on. She was a specialist in taking down Pidgeys and Bellsprout having encountered so many on her journey so far.

"Pidgey, use Sand Attack!"

The opposing Pidgey sat down on the ground, turned its back to Lyra, and kicked at the ground flicking dust into her Mareep's eyes. Mareep was blinded temporarily, and she blinked several times in quick motion, trying to remove the dust particles from her eyes.

"Thundershock!"

Mareep obeyed and aimed a weak bolt at the offending Pidgey, but missed by a couple of inches. "Sand Attack again!" Falkner ordered in a commanding tone.

Once again, her Mareep found himself on the receiving end of dust particles. Her vision was even worse than it was previously. Lyra tightened her jaw, feeling sweat beads form on her head. If she couldn't even land one hit there was no way she could win. "Return Mareep. Go, Pidgey!" She summoned her Pidgey, recalling her Mareep.

"Use Gust!" Gust was a new move her Pidgey had learned after a brief stop at the Pokemon Centre. Updating moves at a Pokemon Centre was easier because the nurses could tell her what moves would best benefit her Pokemon's personality. Falkner's Pidgey flapped its wings causing a mini tornado to appear. It struck the other Pidgey blowing it away. The Pidgey picked itself back up, and flapped over to its previous position. Lyra inwardly cursed. It was tougher than it looked.

"Sand Attack!"

 _By Arceus' breath,_ Lyra cursed. She was briefly reminded of her battle with the Elder of Sprout Tower and his annoying Hoot Hoot. Different moves, but a very similar situation. "Keep using Gust, Pidgey!" she called out, crossing her fingers hoping her Pidgey would land an attack.

Fortunately, Pidgey did and it was enough to knock the other Pidgey out for the match. She was curious to see what other flying Pokemon Falkner had. She didn't know of any others. Perhaps he had another Pidgey? "Pidgeotto!"

A pigeon that looked very much like an older Pidgey appeared before her. Unlike the Pidgey, Pidgeotto was brightly coloured, its plumage a brillaitn mixture of red and yellow. She turned to her Pokedex for information.

 _Pidgeotto. The evolved form of Pidgey. It has outstanding vision. However high it flies, it is able to distinguish the movements of prey._

Evolved form of Pidgey? How come her one hadn't evolved? Perhaps her Pidgey wasn't much stronger after all.

"Pidgeotto, use Gust!" A mini tornado was conjured by the Pidgeotto. It headed towards Pidgey and struck it hard, landing a critical hit. Lyra's Pidgey fluttered to the ground.

"You fought well, Pidgey. Now it's your turn, Zubat!"

The blind bat hovered in the air, flapping his wings frantically. This was a risk putting out a Zubat since her one only knew three moves that did barely next to any damage. Needless to say, she was not at all surprised when the Pidgeotto took her Zubat down with one Gust. Now she had two left – Toto and Mareep.

"Mareep, it's your turn!" Mareep returned to the battlefield. The sheep eyed the Pidgeotto, eyes narrowed as if she were angry at the bird for felling her friends. Lyra planned to use Thundershock, but the Pidgeotto was faster. Much faster than the poor sheep. Gust hit hard and yet again, Lyra was to watch in horror as her sheep fell. It was now one of those times she wished she had a rock-type with her.

"Do you see it now, the power of bird pokemon!" Falkner said. It wasn't a question; it was bold a statement. Lyra nodded in agreement. Their power was immense. To think this was her first gym! The other gym leaders were going to be much tougher than this which was a frightening thought.

"It's up to you, Toto," Lyra whispered. Toto, who had been standing at her side the entire time, leapt forward into battle.

"Gust!"

Again, the bird created a mini tornado. The force of the wind pushed Toto and Lyra back a few inches. Lyra had to plant her feet firmly in the ground and crouch her knees slightly just to hold her position. Her hair flew around her head, clawing at her face. "Use Water Gun, Toto!" Toto sent forth a stream of water which struck Pigeotto square in the chest. Unfortunately, it hardly looked to have done any damage, other than giving the bird a good soaking.

"Finish the challenger off with a Tackle, Pidgeotto!"

And for the first time since leaving for her journey, Lyra suffered a defeat.

.

An hour had passed and Lance was still in the well and still feeling sore. The pain had eased slightly, reducing to a dull throbbing pain as opposed to a sharp fiery one. It was rather unpleasant and any form of movement still hurt. He was about to call one of the Elite Four members to come down and get him when he heard Clair's voice. "Lance? Is that you in there?"

He had never been so happy to hear her voice. "Yes." He winced, as white light filled the cave. At least Clair had been smart enough to carry a flash light. She shined it on him now and almost laughed. He assumed he must've looked rather ridiculous lying there on the ground with a torn cape, arms and legs in bizarre uncomfortable angles.

"I wasn't going to come down, you know… I'm still mad at you, but here I am." She wandered over to him and knelt down, holding back a snicker. "Why are you here anyway?"

Telling Clair about Team Rocket's return wasn't a wise thing to do. She was impulsive, highly emotional and arrogant. She'd chase after them herself with or without permission and get herself into a lot of trouble. But she _had_ come all this way to help him. "It's Team Rocket. Grandfather's visions were right. They have returned," he said finally, watching her carefully.

Her sapphire eyes narrowed. "Team Rocket? I guess Red didn't do that good of a job, after all."

"It's not Red's fault. Criminal organizations are always trying to plan their comebacks. Giovanni might be out of the picture, but he had many followers all of which are trying to fulfil his ambitions," Lance explained.

She gave him a questioning look. "How did you know they were here?"

He sighed. "Grandfather mentioned something about Slowpokes missing tails, so I came here to investigate. I didn't know they'd be here. It was pure luck that I came across them."

She pressed her lips together, jaw tightening. Lance had seen this expression many times before to know Clair was on the verge of throwing a tantrum. "And you didn't think to tell me?" she demanded, staring down at him. "I know he would keep it from me, but I expected better from you or is playing hero more important?" she snarled.

"Clair… not now. I didn't want to tell you because I didn't want to bother you with this."

"It's Team Rocket. I deserve to know," she snapped. She turned her head away then looked back at him again. "Did you battle?"

"Too risky. We would've brought the entire place crashing down. I followed one of the executives through here thinking she'd take me back to their base…" he stopped suddenly, not wanting to go any further. Telling Clair he fell onto a rock didn't sound very Champion-like. She'd probably hold it against him for the rest of his life.

The snarl on her face was quickly replaced with a teasing grin. "Judging by the way you're lying there on the ground all curled up like that would I be wrong to assume that you fell over a rock? Your future wife is going to be so disappointed," she teased.

 _Dammit._ "Not over, onto," he muttered bitterly.

She chuckled. "The Dragon Master Champion, defeated by a rock. I'd pay good money for the full story," she laughed again then fell silent, noticing he wasn't sharing her amusement. She sighed, flipping her ponytail over her shoulder. "I'll take you to the Pokemon Centre in Azalea Town."

"The Pokemon Centre?" Lance repeated.

Clair nodded. "Yes, the Pokemon Centre. How do you expect to take on Team Rocket if you can't even exit the well without help?" she challenged. He resigned himself to defeat. She had a good point there. "Grab my hand and I'll help you up." He reached up and grabbed Clair's arm, and she hoisted him up. "Now, place your arm around my neck. We'll get out of here slowly."

.

Losing had dealt a big blow to her self-esteem. She had not only lost the match, but had let down her team and herself. She sat down under a tree, leaning against the hard wood staring lifelessly at the ground. "Perhaps I wasn't cut out to be a trainer after all," she muttered, looking at her Pokemon. Totodile, Pidgey, Mareep and Zubat were sitting around her, giving their master a confused look.

Mareep rubbed her head against Lyra. Totodile tried to bring a smile on Lyra's face by doing a little dance while Pidgey and Zubat flapped their wings to cool her down a bit. She tried to smile, but didn't feel any joy in her heart. "I'm sorry, I failed you all." Flashes of the match against Falkner replayed in her mind over and over again. Pidgeotto was far too strong for her team. Too fast. Too agile. Could any of her Pokemon beat it?

She brought her knees up to her chest, burying her head in her knees, trying to keep her emotions in check. She always knew being a trainer was going to be a difficult one, but she wasn't mentally prepared for this. Bottom lip trembling, she bit down hard in an attempt to stop the tears from spilling. But it was too late.

Weak. Mentally and physically weak. That's what she was and that's all she was ever going to be. It wasn't skill that had gotten her this far, it had been pure beginner's luck. The people that had seen great potential in her… Professor Elm, her mother, her childhood friend, her neighbours… They were probably just saying nice things to boost her confidence.

The tears continued to flow down her cheeks wetting her clothes. Using the back palm of her hand she wiped the tears away, but new ones soon replaced them. What would they say if they could see her now weeping like a young child? Her mother would probably insist she return home and decide on a different career path to take. Instead of being a trainer, her mother would recommend becoming a ranger or breeder.

But she didn't want to be a ranger or a breeder. She was fourteen years of age; a late bloomer to the trainer world as some would say. She hadn't felt ready at the age of ten, and if she didn't feel ready at the age of fourteen, would she ever feel the time was right? "Dear child, why are you weeping?" a voice spoke.

Lyra jerked her head up, quickly wiping away the tears. The Elder Li was standing a few feet away from her, his brows knotted in confusion. "I lost," she mumbled.

The Elder Li came towards her and held out his hand. "Please take my hand. I know something that will make you feel better." He held out a calloused hand. Lyra looked at it for awhile then decided to take it. It would be rude to refuse. She took his hand and he helped her up from the ground and led her towards a cosy looking house.

He unlocked the door and led Lyra inside. The place was small and a little old fashioned, but it seemed like a nice house. She saw no signs of televisions or gaming consoles in the room, nor did she see any tables, chairs or couches. Aside from a few paintings, there was only a fridge, an oven and a kitchen sink.

She sat down on the hard wooden planks, as her Pokemon gathered around her. The Elder Li walked to the fridge, opened the door and pulled something out. He returned to sit beside her and gave her a bottle of orange juice while giving her Pokemon something that looked like berries. Her Pokemon gobbled them up eagerly. The Elder turned to her. "Do not be so hard on yourself, Lyra," he started, smiling. "Even the greatest of trainers lose."

Was he just saying that to make her feel better? She tried to offer a polite smile. "If they were so great they wouldn't be losing."

He did not seem offended by her rash words. He was still smiling. "If a trainer never lost, how would they know how to improve? If they continued to win, a trainer would never understand their strengths and weaknesses. A loss makes you stronger."

His words made sense to her ears. When she was younger, her mother had often told her that until one makes a mistake, they will never learn and move forward. Making mistakes was the easy part – but accepting them? Not so much. "I just... want to be the Champion," she said weakly, gazing up from the floor. "I want to be like Red. I want to be a trainer my family and friends can be proud of…"

"Accepting a loss is difficult, but you will become a better trainer if you can. Believe in yourself and in your Pokemon and the seemingly impossible becomes possible. You have made this far already, do not turn back now because of a minor setback."

She drew in a sharp breath and fought back a new wave of tears. "I don't know if I can beat Falkner…"

"Have faith, Lyra. If you believe, your Pokemon will also believe."

Her throat was still dry despite having drunk the bottle of water. She set it down on the floor and stood up. The Elder Li was right. She could not stop now. "Thank you for your kind words and hospitality," Lyra said.

"You do not need to thank me for anything, it is you I should be thanking for allowing me to witness the rise of a great new champion," the Elder Li replied, also standing. He led her to the exit and took her to a grassy patch which led back to where she caught the Mareep. "Remember, have faith."


	6. An Unplanned Meeting

**Chapter Five: An Unplanned Meeting**

Lance was bored. The nurse had refused to let him leave the Pokemon Centre until she was certain he was in prime health. He had tried using his position as Champion to tip the odds in his favour, but the nurse was not impressed and threatened to call his grandfather. So here he was, the League Champion of Johto and Kanto, forced to sit inside one of the many patient rooms with nothing but a bed and a radio to keep him entertained. Clair had long since left, returning to the Blackthorn Gym to mock the next poor challenger who dared to battle her.

A few minutes later and a different nurse entered the room, carrying a tray of food and water. "Here you go, Master Lance. It is not much, but I hope you find it satisfying," she said, smiling at him. He caught a faint blush of red on her cheeks. He lifted a brow, but said nothing. "Your Pokemon are healed as well. You can collect them when you leave. If you need my services, please press the white button on your bedside table."

"I'll be sure to do that," Lance replied.

She curtsied then exited the room. He glanced down at the tray of food and groaned. A bowl of tomato soup, two pieces of sourdough bread and a glass of water was all he had. Fitting food for a champion, he thought sarcastically. If he was at the League Pokemon Centre, he'd be eating high quality food.

He looked at the soup bowl for a little longer debating whether or not to try some. It didn't even look like tomato soup. It was more of a light orange colour like the colour of Dragonite's scales. He lowered his nose and sniffed. "Smells like carrot." He dared himself to try some. "Yup, definitely carrot." He put the tray on the table, refusing to eat more of it.

Perhaps the quality of the radio was better than the food. He grabbed it, and placed it on his lap and played around with the knobs until he picked up a station. "Pokemon Music. Pass," he said, turning the knob again. "Pokemon Channel. I know all this stuff already," he said. He turned it again. "People and Places. Hmm, interesting."

" _And turning to our next exciting trainer, Marina will be showcasing her taste in fashion this weekend! Join us at the National Park to discover the latest accessories your Pokemon pals can use as Marina struts her stuff around the park!"_

Lance shuddered. He made a mental note to avoid Goldrenrod City and the National Park this coming weekend. He turned the knob again. "Variety Channel. Nope. Unknown Radio Station. Don't care." He turned it one last time and frowned as some strange high-pitched bleeping noise played. There was no radio jockey at all. A nameless radio station. Odd. Perhaps the nurse could explain it?

He pushed the button and seconds later, the nurse came rushing in. "What do you need help with, Master Lance?" Her dark eyes briefly flickered over to the seemingly untouched food tray then moved back to Lance.

"This station… what is it called?" He turned the volume up so the nurse could hear it clearly as well. She moved forward, a frown on her delicate features.

"I have not heard of it before… perhaps the radio is broken?"

He shook his head. "The other stations work. I wonder what's causing that noise?" He swung his legs over the side of his bed and wondered over to the doorway with a noticeable limp in his step. The nurse was so stunned by the radio she didn't even try to stop him from walking out into the main foyer. Fortunately, the place was empty.

"Please someone help me!" A young boy with dirty brown hair, and muddy white clothes burst in through the doors, an expression of distress on his face. He was panting hard; Lance could see noticeable beads of sweat all over his face.

The nurse rushed forward, comforting the boy. "What's the matter?"

"My Pokemon… my Rattata suddenly evolved into a Raticate! I only just hatched it from an egg! It turned against me and now it won't return to its pokeball!" He wiped away tears then turned his gaze on Lance. If the boy recognized him he certainly had a good way of not showing it. "Please help me!"

Forced unexplained evolution. The boy had said 'suddenly evolved'. Had the radio station with the weird noise caused this? His thoughts drifted to Team Rocket. Somehow, they were linked to this. Lance turned to the nurse. "Give me my Pokemon. I'll handle this." The nurse nodded eyes wide. She hurried to the healing machine and returned with his trusty team of six. He looked at the boy and nodded. "Lead the way."

.

An hour of intense grinding had passed, but it had paid off. Lyra's Pokemon were now much stronger than before and each of them, except Totodile, had been able to learn a new attack. She now felt ready for a rematch with Falkner. All four of her Pokemon marched behind her as they stormed up to the doors of the gym.

"Back again?" Falkner said, as Lyra walked towards him, ignoring the snide comments from the two Bird Trainers, who were peering down from the railings above. He took on a fighting stance and summoned his first Pokemon, a Pidgey.

"You might have beaten me the first time, but I'm more than ready now." She looked down at her Mareep. Mareep nodded and stepped forward to take the first match. The Elder Li's words replayed in her mind. _Have faith._

"You are confident. I look forward to this rematch. Give it your best," Falkner said. "Pidgey, use Sand Attack!"

At the same time, Lyra yelled out, "Thundershock!" Mareep, having grown much stronger and faster since the last encounter, was able to move first. The Pidgey was knocked out immediately. Falker didn't seem unnerved, he looked quite pleased actually. He called out his second and final Pokemon to the battle field, his prized Pidgeotto.

Even though her Mareep had grown stronger, Lyra knew this was still going to be a tough battle. "Gust!" The familiar mini tornado appeared, rushing towards her Mareep. Mareep held her ground as it came into contact with the furious funnel.

"Thundershock!" Mareep's eyes opened, and the sheep sent forth a bolt at the bird as the funnel died down. Pidgeotto shrieked, and flapped its wings frantically as the mild bolt struck the bird. It wasn't enough to knock the Pidgeotto unconscious but Mareep had done enough damage to shake the bird. A few feathers fluttered to the ground.

"Roost!" Pidgeotto came to the floor, tucked its wings and lowered its head, its eyes closed. Lyra frowned. Was the bird sleeping? What a weird thing to do during a battle. Her Mareep also looked confused, looking to Lyra for answers. All Lyra could do was shrug. She didn't have a clue either. She looked at Falkner. He was smiling. Something was wrong.

Falkner's Pidgeotto opened its eyes and jumped into the air, flapping to gain some altitude. It was as if the bird itself had recovered from the previous attack, making it look like it hadn't even happened. "You look confused. I'll explain it to you. Some Pokemon have the ability to recover health – Pidgeotto just happens to be one of them," he said.

That seemed unfair. How could a Pokemon that could heal itself ever be defeated then? Before she could work out an answer, Pidgeotto knocked Mareep off her feet. The Mareep did not stand up again. Zubat and Pidgey were both eager to battle, but Lyra summoned Totodile to take the place of the fallen Mareep.

"Use Leer!" Totodile glared at the Pidgeotto. The bird seemed to freeze in the air momentarily, allowing Lyra to catch a glimpse of a weak spot - the joint where the wing joined the body. Pidgeotto snapped out of its trance and flew around in circles.

"Gust!" Another funnel, fortunately Totodile withstood the attack.

"Aim for the wings! Use Water Gun!" Lyra commanded, pointing at her opponent's Pokemon.

Totodile nodded, and launched a burst of water at the bird, hitting it directly in its vulnerable area. The bird fluttered helplessly to the ground, writhing in pain. It managed to pick itself up, but remained unsteady on its feet. "Use Roost!" Once again, the Pidgeotto settled itself on the floor and took a quick nap to restore a portion of its health.

"Use Scratch!"

Lyra wasn't the only one growing annoyed. Totodile seemed to feed off her agitated state of mind. He charged forward, striking at the bird with full strength. Pidgeotto staggered backwards and fell over on its back, legs up in the air. It flapped for awhile trying to flip itself over, but the bird no longer had strength. Totodile's last attack had been a critical one.

Falkner recalled his prized bird Pokemon, and glanced down at the pokeball. "My father's prized Pokemon… they were beaten…" he said, sounding a little dumbfounded. He sighed then glanced at Lyra. "You are the clear winner of our battle. As the rules state, I must present you with a gym badge as proof of your victory. This is the Zephyr badge," he said, giving her a shiny silver coloured badge. It had the appearance of two wings. "I'll also gift you with the healing move, Roost."

She received the gift items and placed them in her bag where the egg currently was. Unfortunately, all these new items gave her little space for anything else in her bag, so she removed the egg and cradled it in her arms again. "Thank you!" she beamed. The Elder Sage had been right. Believe in yourself and anything was possible.

He grinned. "You should head to Azalea Town next. You'll find the next gym leader there, Bugsy. Don't let his appearance fool you – he's a tough foe to beat, even for me. Oh, and before you go, you'll be able to access the trading machine upstairs in the Pokemon Centre. Good luck to you, Lyra. I will see you again." He led her out of the gym. Once she was outside, he headed back inside the building. _Probably preparing himself for the next battle,_ she thought.

She headed towards the Pokemon Centre and stepped inside. As per normal, she healed her Pokemon. Once she received them, she headed upstairs to the trading facility Falkner had mentioned. A lady in a uniform approached her. "Welcome! This is the trading area. You can trade your Pokemon for another Pokemon or an egg if you wish."

That sounded like fun, but that meant parting with one of hers. She had come to love them all equally. "How does it work?"

"Wave your ID card under the scanner, and a screen will come up. Simply touch the screen and search for a Pokemon you would like to have. Once you have found a Pokemon you like, offer the Pokemon you would like to trade in the machine here. The trade takes a few seconds."

"How many can I trade?"

"There are no limits, but be careful. You can't get your Pokemon back once a trade has been made."

Lyra nodded. As much as she loved her Zubat and Pidgey, she wanted a Pokemon from another region. She had heard Sinnoh had fascinating ones there. She stepped up to the screen and hit the Sinnoh region button then scrolled through the options. There were many Pokemon up for trade but one stood out to her the most. A newborn Gible, a dragon-type Pokemon. Dragons were sacred and mythical creatures, but rumoured to be difficult to raise. Was it worth the time and effort?

There was also a bird Pokemon called Starly, a black feathered avian with a white face. The Starly was also a newborn. She looked at the trainer's details. A girl named Dawn was offering them up for a trade in return for two Kanto or Johto Pokemon. "I'll do it," she said. "I'm going to miss you dearly Pidgey and Mareep, but you'll do fine without me." She couldn't help but feel a little sad as she offered her Pokemon to trade. She placed the ball inside the transfer machine and watched it as one pokeball was sucked up in a tube. Her Mareep followed.

Two pokeballs popped out of the machine in place of the two she had traded. A male Gible and a female Starly. She decided to get a good look at her new companions and summoned them from their pokeballs. Totodile and Zubat looked at the new Pokemon with great interest. Lyra too examined them with curious eyes, wondering what sort of adventures they would have as a team.

The Starly was smaller than the Pidgey, but just as cute although it didn't look as sturdy. She turned to the Gible. The Gible on the other hand was a strange looking creature. He was a small, pudgy baby dragon with a big mouth filled with sharp teeth. The dragon appeared to have no neck. His scales were a dark blue colour and his belly was red. On the top of his head was a fin that looked much like the dorsal fin of a shark. It was hard to believe this thing was a dragon-type, or even powerful, but looks could be deceiving.

Lyra hoped she hadn't made the wrong decision.

.

Falkner stood outside the gym, holding a phone to his right ear. He was feeling in rather good spirits despite having lost to a rookie trainer. Battling always made him happier, but a battle like that was a rare to experience. Most of the trainers that challenged him only cared about winning as quickly as possible, and often resorted to using rock-type Pokemon to get a quick advantage. However, Lyra chose to stick with her defeated team and won the rematch despite the odds being stacked against her.

Whoever the girl was, she certainly had potential to go quite a long way if she was determined. Of course, she had to prove to him it wasn't just a lucky win. If she failed to defeat Bugsy, then the girl had just gotten lucky, but if she managed to defeat him, she could certainly travel far and perhaps even become Champion. It was about time someone knocked Lance off his pedestal. "Hi Bugsy," Falkner said. "There's a strong trainer heading your way. I think she'll make it far."

"That's what you said about the last trainer and they failed to defeat me. It's been almost a month since I last saw them," Bugsy replied, in his usual smug tone.

Bugsy was the youngest of the Johto gym trainers and probably the most annoying as well. When the gym leaders came together at the start of the year to discuss the year ahead, Bugsy would bring his bugs along and scare the girls. This usually ended up in delayed meetings as they had to spend time locating the bugs and putting them back in. Unfortunately, they couldn't get Bugsy thrown out of the Johto Eight because despite his many flaws, he was actually quite a skilled trainer.

"I'm confident about this girl. She beat me without using rock-type Pokemon." He reached down a pocket with his free hand, drawing out a couple of poffins. Throwing them onto the ground, he chuckled softly, as his bird Pokemon pecked at them.

"So?"

Falkner sighed. "It's just a warning. Don't get too over confident. Your Scyther might be fast and hit extremely hard, but so does my Pidgeotto and we still lost."

"I'm not afraid."

"Well, just thought I should let you know. I'll talk to you later." He hung up the phone and shook his head. What had Bugsy's father been thinking when he left that boy in charge?

.

Lyra's new Gible was proving to be quite difficult to control. He obeyed her orders during battle, but after the battle was over, the Gible stopped listening to her. Her Gible seemed to have a knack for chasing trouble. It was as if the baby dragon liked getting into and creating trouble for his new master. Gible would attack defeated wild Pokemon and attack the losing trainer if Lyra didn't throw Gible's pokeball to call the naughty dragon back.

Starly, on the other hand, preferred to be by herself rather than play with Gible, Zubat and Toto. The poor Pokemon looked sad most of the time, and Lyra hoped it wasn't because it had been traded away. Gible and Toto were play fighting in a nearby grass patch as Zubat flew above them while Starly sat on a tree branch watching. Lyra sighed, shaking her head, but she was smiling. Starly and Gible had already gotten stronger just by battling wild Pokemon. But they couldn't stay here forever.

She was now on the path to Azalea Town. There were other things to explore in Violet City, namely Route 36, but she just wanted to get the next gym badge. She'd come back later once her team was stronger. She had already defeated five trainers – Youngster Albert, Picknicker Liz, Camper Roland, Youngster Gordon and Fisherman Justin who had five Magikarp in his possession which seemed a little extreme in Lyra's mind.

Now there were only a few left to go. "Okay everyone, back to your pokeballs!" Lyra said, calling all her Pokemon back except for Totodile. Zubat and Starly returned without protest, but Gible head butted the ball away then did a funny little dance which Lyra assumed was a victory one. "You are eager to battle, aren't you?" Lyra asked, glancing down at the dragon.

Gible nodded. This dragon sure loved fighting. Lyra smiled. "All right, you win. But you can't expect to take every battle." Gible nodded again. Lyra wasn't completely sure if it understood her or not, but knew she had to keep a very close eye on him. The moment she looked away, the Gible would run after some poor wild Pokemon and get lost in the forest… Or worse, get attacked.

She approached yet another fisherman and hoped this one did not use Magikarp as well. She wanted a challenge and Magikarp were anything but challenging. He was facing the water's edge, completely unaware she was there. She tapped him on the back, and he jumped, startled, dropping his nametag. Henry. He spun around. "You startled me! I lost a Pokemon! A battle with you will calm my mind!"

Lyra stepped back and allowed her Gible to take position. Fisherman Henry threw out a ball and a round blue shaped creature with a spiral belly popped out. Lyra pulled out her Pokedex to obtain data.

 _Poliwag. Because it is inept at walking on its newly grown legs, it always swims around in water._

She turned back to the creature. It did seem to have major difficulty standing still even. "Gible, use Tackle!"

The dragon obeyed, throwing its entire weight at the clumsy Poliwag. Gible struck hard and fast, causing the Poliwag to fall over. It tried to get back onto its feet but it didn't seem able to flip itself up onto its feet again. "Water Sport!" Henry yelled. Poliwag spewed out some water, cloaking itself in the cool liquid. Lyra had no idea what that move did but it didn't appear to do any harm at all.

"Use Tackle again!"

Gible hit hard once again. Poliwag was no more. Gible gave Henry a cheeky grin, revealing razor sharp teeth. "Okay Gible, its Toto's turn now," said Lyra. Gible looked at Lyra and shook his head. Oh no. "We promised earlier that you can't take every battle. You have to share the load," she insisted. Gible glared.

"Stop fooling around, trainer, and continue on the battle!" Henry said, grabbing Lyra's attention briefly. Another Poliway waited to battle. Lyra turned to her Toto, giving him an apologetic glance and turned back to her Gible… only to find Gible wasn't there. _Oh no._ She looked up and found her Gible running awkwardly through a grass patch towards the forest boundary.

"Gible!" Lyra called out, but the Gible kept running. She glanced back at the trainer then to the forest. She had to cancel the battle. That was embarrassing… really embarrassing but Gible had left her no choice. She gave the fisherman a sheepish look then bolted after her runaway dragon.

.

Lance had once again found himself in an eerie place where he was surrounded by wounded Pokemon. Fortunately, these Pokemon, which were all Rattata's, had not been disfigured. There were bite marks on the majority and Lance had a feeling they had been attacked by the rogue Raticate that had somehow evolved at a very early stage.

The forest was dark, but not so dark he couldn't see anything, unlike the Slowpoke Well. And fortunately, there were no rocks around the place for him to fall onto again. The Raticate's owner had stayed at the forest boundary as it was too dangerous for him to come this far in. Dragonite stayed at his master's side, keeping his eyes peeled. They continued moving forward through the forest undergrowth until they reached a clearing.

What he saw next confused him greatly. In the middle of the clearing there was a Gible, gnawing on a twig. Lance noticed there was a trail of blood running down its left side. A fresh wound. The Gible can't have been a wild one – Gible's weren't known to native to Johto. So it must have been a stray, abandoned by its owner. Lance knew all too well that only determined trainers could raise dragons and only the best could make them evolve to the next stage.

He observed it closely, and pondered with the idea of claiming it as his own. Strays were abandoned Pokemon meaning their owners had no ownership over them anymore. A fully evolved Gible would make a great addition to his draconic team of Pokemon. It was weakened already as well making the task much easier. He crept closer towards the unsuspecting Gible until he was close enough.

He hurled the pokeball. The Gible had no idea what was coming for it. Soon, he'd have a Gible on his side, then he would be one step closer to having every single dragon-type Pokemon in the universe and no one would dare mess with hi-what? The ball bounced off its scales and tumbled onto the grass. Gible glanced at the ball. It bent down, sniffed it then drew back as if disgusted. It kicked it away.

"Gible! There you are!"

Things were become stranger by the minute now. A young female teenager came bursting into the clearing, stopping besides Lance and his Dragonite. She rushed forward, threw out a pokeball and recalled her Gible back. Once Gible was safe, she turned on Lance, her features knotted in anger. "Thief!" she accused. "Leave my Gible alone!"

Lance was taken aback by her sudden accusation. "I didn't…"

"I noticed my Gible was hurt. Did you attack him as well?" she demanded, glancing up at him.

Being this close to the girl, he noticed there was something strangely familiar about her… Wait. Was this the same girl his grandfather had predicted would be the one to defeat him? The one who he was supposed to look for? The one he had caught battling against a true thief, the boy with the long red hair?

She didn't look tough at all this close up. She was a short, lean girl with cute brown pigtails and wide brown curious eyes who happened to be dressed in overalls. In other words? She looked ridiculous. She really looked like she ought to be out on some farm milking Miltanks, not out here as a trainer with a powerful dragon-type Pokemon. "You weren't around. How was I supposed to know the Gible wasn't some stray?" he replied smugly, hoping to thrown the girl off balance.

"I would never abandon my Pokemon," she replied, then turned away from him, choosing to focus her attention on his Dragonite. Dragonite looked at Lance unsure of what to do. Lance shrugged. "It's so cute!" she said, grinning up at the Dragonite.

Lance wasn't sure if he was hearing things. Had Lyra just called his Dragonite cute? Cute wasn't a term he'd associate with dragons in general. He wasn't sure whether to be offended by this or not. This Lyra was going to dethrone _him?_ Yeah, right. "Hmph," was his response. Not the most intelligent comeback, but he couldn't afford to reveal his true identity to this trainer. Besides, he was supposed to be searching for a rogue Raticate, not chatting to females.

She stared at him for a few moments longer then averted her gaze. She did not blush, like so many others of the female race did. That was actually a good thing though. The only female he could speak to that did not turn into a gushing fangirl was Clair, but that was understandable because they were related. "You should leave. It's not safe here," Lance started.

"That's exactly what I plan on doing. It's not safe to be around you. You might try to steal one of my other Pokemon next." She started to head back in the direction where she had come from then stopped, looking back over her shoulder. The anger in her eyes dimmed, replaced by confusion. "How do I get to Azalea Town from here?"

"Keep on following the path and you'll soon find yourself at Union Cave. Find your way through and you'll reach Azalea Town in no time," he replied. "Don't you have a map?"

Her eyes widened. "I forgot it."

His grandfather had to be wrong about this girl. There was no way this Lyra could beat him. She was far too clueless and innocent. "Take mine. Take it as an apology for the Gible incident," he said, handing her one of his many maps. She took it, folded it carefully then placed it in her bag. "And I'm serious about leaving. This forest isn't safe. I'm not the one you should be afraid of."

She frowned. "I never said I was afraid of you."

This wasn't going the way he wanted it to go. He was supposed to be in control of the situation and instead, this girl was gaining the upper hand, making him out to be the foolish one. How the girl had even managed to make it this far without tripping over her own two feet was a miracle. "Whatever," he murmured. He hoped to put this embarrassing moment behind him so he could continue carrying out his duties as Champion.

She gave him one last look then retreated, allowing him to carry on his business.

.

Pulling down his hood, the man stepped inside the sliding glass door and joined the long queue. There were a large number of people travelling to Kanto to escape the harsh winter of the Sinnoh region. It was just his luck that he had chosen the busiest time to purchase a ticket. He was aware that he was being watched – after all, he was the only person in the building who had chosen to wear a black cloak, rather than settle for a thick jacket like everyone else – but he didn't care.

All he wanted was his ticket so he could escape this godforsaken weather for a couple of months. Running around in the snow and risking being assaulted by snowballs wasn't exactly his idea of a good time. Leaving Sinnoh temporarily was the best thing he could do for himself and his Pokemon – his dragon-types hated the cold. The cold made them sluggish.

Someone tapped him on the back. Holding back a bitter response, he turned around and raised his eyebrows expectantly. Two female teenagers, a blonde and a brunette, looked back at him. The blonde tried to hold back a giggle. "Can I help you?" he said. He didn't receive a response. The girls were too busy trying not to laugh. He turned around again and sighed. Stupid teenagers.

As soon as he had turned around to face the front again, he heard one of the girls whisper, 'scarface'. There was once a time he would've taken offense to those comments, but he had gotten accustomed to it after several years of hearing the same old insults. It was one of the reasons he chose to wear a hood – it made it harder for people to see the scar that ran a diagonal line across his right cheek.

It was a battle scar obtained in battle during a heated battle against a Garchomp, but to other people, they simply viewed it as something to be laughed at. He ignored their giggles and shuffled forward, glancing at the television screen in upper right hand corner of the room. Watching television was a good way to kill some time – it also meant he could drown out the noise of the idiots surrounding him.

" _Here's Sherry, with all the gossip you could ever want! Thanks, Michelle! Sinnoh Champion Cynthia has been spotted hanging around with former Champion of Hoenn Steven Stone – is this a possible romance for the stunning trainer? Pewter Gym Leader Brock announces the opening of a new restaurant, called Hard Rock Café opening soon in Kanto! Edward Blackthorn showing signs of ill health – could he be sick?"_

Edward Blackthorn sick? It couldn't be… He waited for more news to be announced regarding Blackthorn, but no more was said. The two girls went back to discussing the relationship between Cynthia and Steven and gushing over the possibilities of a possible marriage. He rolled his eyes and turned away, repulsed. Journalists. They were parasites.

But they did tell the truth… partially anyway. Most of the facts were often exaggerated, but there had to be a story in the first place. The Blackthorn Clan Elder sick. It shouldn't be surprising that he was sick considering his age, but it was so much more significant since the elder was his father - the same man responsible for banishing him from Blackthorn City.

"Hello, how may I help you today?" the woman said.

He tore his eyes away from the screen. "I would like a one-way trip to Kanto." Originally, he was going to purchase a return ticket, but the news of his father's passing had changed things. He imagined there was going to be a political warfare over who was the rightful heir - if he hadn't been banished, he would be the clan elder. His banishment however made that impossible. It would skip him and go to the next male in line – Lance. His son, the boy he had been forced to abandon due to his banishment.

"No intention of returning to Sinnoh?"

"Plans have changed."

"That'll be five-hundred dollars. Name, please?"

"Jacob."

Five-hundred dollars? Prices sure had increased by a lot since last winter. A one-way trip cost three hundred just last year. He dug a hand into his pocket and pulled out five one hundred dollar notes and handed them to the lady. She seemed surprised that he actually had that amount but took it anyway and printed out his ticket with his name imprinted on the front.

"You may board the ship now if you wish, but the ship won't be leaving for another two hours. You can choose to sit in the lounge – there's a bar, dining area and even free public computers to use if you find yourself bored. You can even have a shower to freshen up before the long trip."

.

"What a strange person," Lyra said aloud exiting the forest. She sat at the boundary, underneath one of the trees to catch her breath after the chase. Totodile snuggled up against her. Lyra's thoughts drifted back to the weird trainer. He wore all black, had messy red hair that stuck out in random angles, and he wore a funny looking black cape. Who walked around with a cape anyway? And Joey had thought her outfit was ridiculous… Which well, it kinda was now that she thought about it. _I really need to update my look if I want other trainers to take me seriously._

She wondered who he was. He had what seemed to be a fully evolved dragon with him meaning he must be a trainer of an exceptional level. For someone who had a fully evolved dragon, he certainly didn't look like a dragon trainer. She had always assumed trainers with dragons were bulky, but that was probably just a stereotype. This guy was tall and not overly muscular. He didn't seem that old and she suspected he was in his mid to late teenage years. He wasn't that bad on the eyes either. She mentally slapped herself for thinking that. How could she find a guy somewhat attractive especially since he just tried to steal her Pokemon?

Was he just some wandering trainer or someone more important? A gym leader? An Elite Four member? Perhaps… even the Champion? She laughed out loud at the stupidity of that thought. No. Of course not. Why would the Champion be near Azalea Town? The Champion would be smart enough not to attempt to steal another trainer's Pokemon. Besides, she imagined whoever the Champion was he had far more important things to do than stroll through the towns meeting the locals and hanging out in dark places.

Although she had little interest in the league before, now she wished she knew more about it. Who was the Champion? She knew little about the former champions, Red and Blue. All she knew was they came from the same place of Pallet Town and that they were rivals from a young age. Blue was apparently a very unfriendly and cocky Champion according to various media sources, and Red was silent, but honourable, Champion.

And what of the current one? She knew nothing. Was he also a jerk like Blue? Or modest and friendly? Was he old or young? Handsome or plain? So many questions and she had no answers to any of them. _Oh well,_ she thought. Not knowing made the journey to becoming the Champion herself much more interesting without knowing anything about the league members.

Her Totodile yawned, and Lyra yawned as well. The past hours had been tough. They hadn't had a decent rest since winning against Falkner. She closed her eyes and soon fell asleep under the shade of the trees.

.

It hadn't taken Lance long to locate the Raticate. The footprints and half-rotten berries on the ground made it easy to track it down. He looked at it now, keeping a safe distance. There was no telling what this creature would do. The Raticate stared back at him, hissing, a glob of saliva running down the right side of its mouth. "There's nothing we can do to cause the Raticate to return to its former evolution, but we can put him down for awhile," he said, looking at his Dragonite. Dragonite nodded, understanding. He spread his wings and flapped sending forth a powerful gust of wind, which threw the Raticate back into a tree, immediately knocking it unconscious.

He was about to check up on the fainted Raticate for signs of severe damage when two Team Rocket grunts stepped out from behind some bushes. The grunts looked like the ones he had encountered earlier before in the Slowpoke Well. "Looks like Ariana was right. The Champion walked right into our trap," said the female grunt who he remembered as Julia.

"He just couldn't help himself. Why can't you just leave us alone?" Julia's companion sneered.

Dragonite growled. "What did you do to the Raticate?" Lance said.

Julia cracked a grin. "It's wonderful, isn't it? Our great leader Archer found a way to force Pokemon to evolve! It's not at full strength yet, but when it is, Team Rocket will gain control of the world!"

Lance thought hard. The signal from the unknown radio station. Had Team Rocket found a way to emit waves to force Pokemon within range to evolve? If he was correct in that assumption they were in serious trouble. The signal might not be completed yet, but judging what had happened to the Raticate, he didn't want know what it could do once the signal was at full strength.

"For every grunt you take down, another one will take the fallen one's place. We have unlimited numbers and we're scattered all over the region. There are not enough gym leaders to take us all on," Julia taunted, lips curving into a maniacal grin. "Consider this as a warning – the end is coming and it's all going to start at the Slowpoke Well."

Lance frowned. "Slowpoke Well? I thought you were done there."

"We were stalling for time. Ariana lured you deeper into the well allowing Proton and his grunts to enter the normal way. Coming after her was a foolish idea. You just made it easier for us." She smirked, then spun around and ran deeper into the forest, her partner following right behind her. Lance was half-tempted to go after them, but following Team Rocket members into dark unknown places was not a good idea.

"Arceus' breath," he cursed. Lyra was heading towards Azalea Town now and would most likely get caught up in the Team Rocket mess. He was supposed to look out for her as the Elder had said, not get her into trouble. He turned around and stormed through the forest, an equally annoyed Dragonite stomping behind him. Would he be too late?

.

This is a novelization but it doesn't follow the games completely. I do my own things, add a few twists here and there to keep it from being a text version of the game. Where would the fun be in that? This story is a re-upload, and the original was uploaded way back in 2014. The sequel, 'Ravaged World' was completed and uploaded in 2015. The third one, 'Spirit of Champions' is also fully written but was never actually released. I hope to do that sometime by Christmas. Updates will be quick since it's all done (and has been done multiple times before).


	7. Under Threat

**Chapter Six: Under Threat**

It was another miserable day in Blackthorn City. Storm clouds had rolled over the city overnight, cutting out the powerlines and causing severe damage to many of the buildings. The clouds still hung over the city, but the lightning and thunder had long since passed. Now there was only rain, but that itself was a problem. The grounds were already soaked – they could not absorb any more rain. Continuous rain would lead to problematic flooding.

Although the city was built into the side of a mountain, some of the buildings were prone to floods. The pool in front of the Dragon's Den was partly to blame for this. Large amounts of rain often caused the pond to overflow, and bucket loads of water would pour out the side and into the local households. Flooding wasn't the only problem Blackthorn faced – earthquakes and landslides in summer and avalanches in winter also caused major problems. Fortunately, such disasters did not occur frequently.

Clair ducked inside the den, removing her cape. She dried it off as best as she could then put it back on again. The Dragon's Den was not only her home, but also her number one training spot. Dragon tamers from Johto and Kanto came here to hone their skills, hoping they could one day become the world's greatest Dragon Master. She often mocked the trainers – none of them could ever hope to come close to her level.

So it was no surprise that more than half the population of Blackthorn disliked Clair. She was respected, but not popular. Even the trainers she had selected for her gym weren't fond of her. But she didn't care. She was powerful. They were not. They just had to accept that. She looked around the cave, searching for her next victim. Two young female identical twins caught her eye. Clea and Gil. The twins each had a Dratini in their possession. The Dratini's should've evolved by now, but they hadn't. Clair suspected it was because Clea and Gil were lousy dragon tamers. In fact, Clair was convinced they were the weakest of the dragon tamers within Blackthorn, a statement she often liked to rub in their faces.

"You two. Come over here now," Clair called out, pointing a finger in their direction.

The two twins were standing on one of the upper levels of the den. Upon hearing their names, their eyes widened when they noticed Clair looking at them. They exchanged a nod and came down the steps, and walked over to answer Clair's summons.

"What do you want Clair?" Clea said, flicking a strand of brown hair away from her face.

"We battled you yesterday and the day before that. Why can't you pick on somebody else?" Gil whined.

Smirking, Clair tossed her ponytail over her shoulder. "You don't have to battle me – but if you don't, I'm not going to let you back in here to train," she stated smugly.

The twins exchanged bitter looks. Clair knew that expression all too well. It meant they were not at all pleased and thought her demands were unfair. "Fine. But you don't have go so tough on us. We didn't even have a chance to attack in the last match," Clea complained, pouting.

Clair crossed her arms over her shoulder and snorted. "I'm a Gym Leader _and_ a Dragon Master. I am not going to go easy on you," she said. "I don't go easy on _anyone_. Show me how much you have improved." She reached down to her pokebelt and threw out her mascot Pokemon, Kingdra. The water dragon jumped into the pond of water and glared at the two twins.

The twins threw their pokeballs at the ground. A twin pair of Dratini's appeared, and the two dove into the water. Other wild Dratini called the pond their home, but always stayed out of the battles. "Kingdra, again?" Gil said. "That's not fair!"

"Quit being such babies and show me you are worthy enough to call yourselves dragon tamers," Clair snapped. "Kingdra, use Dragon Pulse!" A purple beam of dark energy burst from the Kingdra's mouth, striking one of the Dratini. The Dratini fainted immediately. It was a well known fact dragons were super strong against their own type.

Gil muttered and retrieved her fainted Dratini. Clea stepped forward. "Dratini, use Dragon Tail!"

"Kingdra, dodge!"

Kingdra easily evaded the physical blow and retaliated with another powerful beam of Dragon Pulse. The Dratini fainted and the battle was over as quickly as it had begun. Clair smirked. "I see not much has changed. You are both still weak and you will remain weak. You have no right to call yourselves dragon tamers."

"You haven't even evolved your Dragonair's yet, so you can't complain about us being weak!" Gil protested.

"Gil!" Clea scolded.

So, the twins thought they could insult her Pokemon? Clair stepped forward. "I'll have you know I am purposely preventing my twin Dragonair's from evolving." That was a lie. Her Dragonair's hadn't yet reached the required experience to evolve into a Dragonite. She knew she could eventually reach that level – just not right now. "Get out of here."

Shooting Clair hateful looks, the twins retreated from the cave with their fainted Dratini's back in their pokeballs. She recalled her Kingdra back to its pokeball and did a victory dance in celebration of her brilliance. So what if she was hated? She was the best. Well, second best. Lance was the only trainer she could not beat, not even when he was at his worst.

"There you are, Clair!"

Clair spun around annoyed she had been interrupted during her self-praising session. A male wearing red and black clothing stood at the entrance, running a hand nervously through his pitch black hair. She recognized him as Mike – the final gym trainer in her gym. He was probably the only person in Blackthorn, aside from her grandfather and cousin Lance that actually liked her. Some labelled his admiration as a crush, but that was just wild gossip. "What do you want, Mike?"

"Poke Mart… it's been raided!"

"What?" The Blackthorn Poke Mart raided? That wasn't possible. Hardly anyone came to this city because it was such a difficult place to get to. Only the strongest of trainers made it here. "Impossible."

"Come and see it for yourself." Mike headed back outside and Clair quickly chased after him, cape flapping behind her. It was darker now than it had been moments ago. It seemed as if another storm had come through. A breeze blew through the city, so strong it almost knocked her off her feet. She quickly regained her composure and followed Mike towards the Poke Mart.

Mike was correct. The place had been totally thrashed. How could it be something like this could happen in such a few short moments? There had been no signs of any problems before. The shelves had fallen and all stocked items sprawled out on the ground. Hundreds, no, thousands of dollars lay before her feet damaged beyond repair. Whoever had done this… knew exactly what they were doing.

She turned to the cashier, a young female assistant. The girl cowered behind the register, as if afraid the thief had returned. "What happened here?" Clair demanded.

The girl peeked over the register, sobbing. "It was a man… he was dressed in black clothes… he wore a hat with a skull cross on it…" She took in a deep breath and continued. "He got mad because we didn't have a rope… and thrashed the place…" The girl broke down in sobs.

Tapping her foot on the ground, Clair gave the girl an irritated look. "Did he say where he went? Speak girl."

"He said… he said they were going towards the Dragon's Den…"

Dragon's Den. She had just exited the place and had seen no signs of any intruders. Besides, the old man guarding the den would've notified her of any suspicious behaviour. She looked around the shop again, taking in all the damage. But then again, someone who had done this much damage would have no problem forcing their way into the Dragon's Den.

Without saying another word, she dashed outside, Mike following close behind. It was raining very hard now. It was almost impossible to see anything, but she knew her way to the Dragon's Den even with her eyes closed, having walked that path many times. She took that path again, jumped into the pond and swam across.

Once inside, she darted her eyes around the cave, looking for a suspicious character. The den was quiet now. Completely silent. That made her nervous. Even if there were no trainers around, she could always hear the sounds of Dratini playing around in the pool. But there was nothing. Had the Dratini sensed danger?

And what of her grandfather? He spent most of his life at home, studying dragon lore and his visions. But she could not hear him. Perhaps he was still asleep? "I'm going to check up on my grandfather. You stay here and keep guard. Call out if you see anyone." Mike nodded. Clair hurried over to her house.

She was surprised to find the door unlocked. Pushing it open, she stepped inside and looked around. The broken photo frame of Lance and his team was still on the floor. Clair carefully stepped around it and called out her grandfather's name. Nothing. No response at all. Fortunately, the house seemed untouched.

She looked around some more then froze in place upon hearing a tapping noise coming from one of the rooms. Her grandfather's room to be precise. "Grandfather?" she called out again, ramming against the door with her shoulder. The door opened and she stumbled inside and found her grandfather tied to a chair, arms and legs held by a rope. There was a white tape over his mouth preventing him from making any audible noise. Her jaw dropped open.

Rushing over to her grandfather, she removed the tape and started to loosen the rope. "Clair! Thank goodness you are all right," he said, in between heavy gasps.

She threw the rope onto the ground and kicked it away. "What happened?"

"This man burst in through the doors, demanding to know where the sacred Dratini was," the old man explained, hanging his head down. "I could not stop him from locating the dragon."

"The sacred Dratini is gone?" Clair almost shrieked. The Dratini was seen as special because it knew a move no other Dratini knew. She also had a different colour; her skin wasn't blue like the others, but rather a bright shade of pink. Her grandfather called it a shiny, an exceptionally rare Pokemon.

Clair had wanted it for herself, but the man had said no. She had even tried stealing it one day out of jealous rage. That action had her temporarily replaced by her grandfather himself for a week while she had to read books on becoming a better trainer. After that, she had tried to convince she didn't need another Dratini; besides, pink totally wasn't her colour. The Dratini would be given to someone who had earned it. She had scoffed at that. Her grandfather probably wanted to keep it for himself and had thought up that lame excuse, but she could not be angry at him now.

"You must… not do anything rash, Clair… Your place is at the gym."

"I need to find the Dratini."

He shook his head. "You must inform Lance."

It always came back to Lance. Just because he was the Champion did not mean he got to play hero all the time. She was just as deserving of that title. "He doesn't need to do everything. You can trust me to do the right thing!" Clair spat. "I am strong enough to handle this!"

"Go back to the gym, Clair."

She clenched her jaw. "Why don't you trust me? Is it because I haven't passed your stupid test yet? Is that it?" she retorted, her irritation growing at a rapid pace. Or was it because she was a female? All her ancestors that had risen to the ranks of Dragon Master had been male. She was the only female to achieve that rank, or at least was close to it. Her grandfather did not reply. "Fine. I'll go back to the gym since that's the only thing you think I'm capable of doing!" she spluttered.

She spun around on her heel and stormed out of the building.

 **.**

To reach the next city, Lyra had to take the path through Union Cave. Fortunately, it was easy to get through even without knowing Flash. There were a few bothersome fire and ground trainers in the way, but Totodile handled it well. Of course, before she had even thought about entering the cave, she had to finish her business with the Fisherman Henry. The battle had been short, but the fisherman's attitude had not improved at all. _So much for battling to calm the mind,_ she thought.

Now she was out of the cave and she was glad for that. Her Pokemon had once again gotten stronger; Starly had learnt Wing Attack and Gible had learnt Dragon Rage, a powerful early move which took out a large chunk of health from the opponent no matter what type they were. Gible still had his problems, but he seemed less likely to cause trouble the more experience he obtained.

Fortunately, Azalea Town was cooler than Cherrygrove City, but it was still warm. At least she didn't have to wipe away sweat beads from her face every few seconds. The town was much smaller than Violet City and there was less to do. She had bypassed a well earlier which was blocked by some weird guy dressed in black with a pirate hat.

Aside from the well, the only other place worth visiting was Charcoal Kiln, Kurt's House and the gym obviously. Charcoal didn't sound like something she needed at the moment though as her bag was full of stuff already. That reminded her she needed to store her egg at the Pokemon Centre to retrieve later. But before doing that, she headed to Kurt's House.

"Hello?" she said, tapping on the door.

The door opened a few seconds later an elderly man walked out. "You are here to turn apricots into pokeballs, aren't you? I would love to assist but I'm afraid I have an emergency to attend do," he said, stepping outside. He closed the door then looked her up and down. "Say… you look like a fine trainer. You might be able to help me. A group of criminals have taken over the Slowpoke Well. They're cutting off the tails of the innocent Pokemon. They must be stopped at once. Meet me at the well when you are ready and we'll take them on together." Before she could get another word in, the old man hobbled away and towards the Slowpoke Well.

"Cutting off Slowpoke Tails? What sort of horrible person would do such a thing?" she said, looking at her Totodile. Totodile looked angry, a soft growl escaping through his throat. "We'll go to the Pokemon Centre first." There was one more trade she wanted to do. The Slowpoke Well sounded dangerous. She wanted to heal her team up before entering.

She headed up to the trading place upstairs and placed her Zubat in the machine. The trading screen came up and she searched for Hoenn Pokemon. A number of interesting Pokemon caught her eye, but it was the Bagon, another dragon type, that captured her interest. She didn't know what it was, but she felt drawn to the reptilian looking Pokemon. Pokemon with scales and talons appealed to her greatly. A girl called May was offering one up for trade willing to accept anything in return.

"Bye bye Zubat!" she said almost tearfully, as she agreed to make the trade.

She hoped Bagon was less trouble than Gible otherwise she'd never get anywhere.

.

Training her Bagon should've been her first task, but Lyra was eager to solve the problem down at the Slowpoke Well. Besides, there should be some Pokemon to train against down there anyway so Bagon would get the experience it desperately needed. She climbed down the ladder, touched the floor and noticed Kurt leaning against the stone wall. He was groaning and rubbing his back.

He turned to her now, relieved she was there. "I chased down one of the grunts and unfortunately I took a fall. I'll need some time to recover, so you'll have to go inside and investigate for me," Kurt said.

Go into a deeper part of the well all by herself to face off against some criminals? That didn't sound wise, but Kurt wasn't looking too good. She glanced down at Toto and put on a brave face. Of course she wasn't alone. She had her Pokemon with her. She stepped inside and was instantly overcome by a powerful feeling of disgust.

Slowpoke were everywhere she looked, and every single one had a stump for a tail. Whoever had been behind this catastrophe certainly had a cruel and twisted mind. The pain the Slowpoke were feeling… it had to be horrible. She navigated around them carefully, making sure she did not accidentally run into one. The Slowpoke looked at her with sad, round eyes. Unable to look at them without feeling her heart break into two, Lyra pulled her gaze away focusing on the path ahead.

The cave was pretty bland aside from the Slowpoke. There was a large pool of water and a lot of stalagmites and stalactites everywhere. The criminals had to be hiding somewhere. Just to be prepared, she called out her other three Pokemon. Bagon, Gible and Toto huddled around her, while Starly sat on her head. Further up ahead, she could hear voices.

"…The Champion isn't here anymore … he must've escaped…"

"…Nevermind the Champion, he can't stop Team Rocket…"

"…Archer will be so pleased. Do you think he'll give us a raise?"

Team Rocket? As in, the same Team Rocket that terrorized them several years ago? Hadn't they been defeated by Red? It had been all over the news. Lyra crept forward, quickly ducking behind some stalagmites. Three male youths stepped into her view, all dressed completely in black uniforms. The trio each wore a black hat with a skull cross symbol emblazoned on the front. Gible made a funny noise. It sounded much like the sound one experienced when they were feeling really hungry. Lyra shut her eyes, hoping they would not notice her.

"Hey, did you hear that? Some funny rumbling noise. I think we're being followed," said the first, a short stocky male with black hair.

"I thought you took out the old geezer?" said the middle youth, with the ginger hair.

The third male, a youth with dirty blond hair answered. "I did. He fell. Perhaps he had an accomplice we weren't aware of?"

The stocky one spoke. "Nevermind. We'll find the intruder and we'll crush him." The other two males chuckled. The three moved together, weaving through the stalagmites with ease. Gible's stomach rumbled again, this time a little louder than before.

"There's that noise again! It's coming from over there!"

Lyra winced. They were done for now. She stood up from her hiding spot. The three rocket grunts stopped, looked at her than exchanged laughs. "Oh look, it's a little girl! Did you run away from your farm, girl?"

"She's a trainer. I can't believe they allow people as funny looking as that become trainers. What hole did you crawl out of?" said the ginger. He reached down and grabbed a pokeball and advanced towards her, giving her a sly look. "She doesn't look tough at all."

"Yeah, let's send this girl back to the farm."

Lyra glanced over her shoulder, searching for a possible escape route. There was only one she could see and that was the entrance. But she couldn't run – not now. She had promised to help Kurt. The Slowpoke relied on her. "I'm not a farm girl." As soon as she left this cave, she was totally going to update her look.

Each of the three male youths threw out their pokeballs. Two Rattata's and a Zubat appeared. Lyra's eyes widened. Three Pokemon all at once? "Farm girl looks shocked," the ginger said.

"That's not fair!" Lyra blurted out.

"We're Team Rocket. We don't play fair. You play by our rules," said the blonde. "So what's it going to be? Are you going to battle or are you too afraid to take us all on?"

She glanced down at the Pokemon. Gible, Bagon and Totodile all looked eager to battle. Starly licked her face indicating she wanted to fight too. "I accept your challenge," she said, trying to sound confident. But the truth was she felt quite nervous. The trio looked as if they had fought together as a team many times before. This was her first time. How would her team fare against this experienced triple team?

The stocky male spoke again, pulling Lyra out of her worries. "Farm girl has dragons. You think she's part of the infamous Blackthorn Dragon Clan?"

"Nah, she doesn't look half as dumb as they do," answered the blond. "But even if she has two dragons, she won't stand a chance against our combined power!" He pointed a finger at her, and grinned. "Don't go crying to your mummy when you lose," he jeered.

The ginger-headed boy spoke. "What's a little girl like you doing out here on your own anyway?"

She was beginning to tire of these insults. Farm girl. Little girl. She was neither of those things. She was a fourteen year old female who was going to be the Champion of Johto and Kanto. "The name is Lyra. I'm a trainer and I'm going to defeat you." She hoped she sounded intimidating, but the trio just laughed. _Okay,_ she thought. _That didn't work._

"You talk big for a girl. Can you back it up?" the stocky one taunted.

Lyra stepped forward, silently praying for a miraculous victory.


	8. True Strength

**Chapter Seven: True Strength**

Battling the three grunts at the same time was difficult. They knew each other's moves extremely well while Lyra was still mastering her strategy. Both the Rattata's struck hard and fast with Quick Attack, while the Zubat threw a Leech Life on Toto's head. Lyra's team began to show signs of fatigue, and she hadn't even had the chance to land an attack yet. Bagon, having no battling experience, looked ready to faint. She did what was best for her Pokemon, and called it back into his pokeball, and sent forth Starly to take over. Gible and Toto fared a little better, but still took some damage.

"Gible, use Tackle!" Gible hit one of the Rattata's. The Rattata stumbled backwards. Now it was Toto's turn. "Water Gun, Toto!" Toto uttered a growl and jumped forward, drenching the other Rattata with water. The wet Rattata shook its body in an attempt to dry itself off. "Starly, use Tackle!" Starly threw her weight against the Zubat, knocking the bat out of the air.

"Not bad, farm girl. But we're only just getting started," taunted the blond. "Rattata, use Tackle!"

"Rattata, use Tackle as well!"

"Supersonic!"

The two Tackles hit, but fortunately, Supersonic missed. That brought great relief to Lyra. Having four Pokemon against two would be a battle she couldn't hope to win. "Gible, Tackle again! Starly, Wing Attack! Toto, Tackle!" she barked out her commands, and her trio took the offense. One of the Rattata's fainted. The blonde's Rattata.

He replaced the fainted Rattata with a Zubat. Not another one, Lyra groaned. "Supersonic!"

"Supersonic!"

"Tackle!"

Unfortunately, this time one of the Supersonics hit. Starly's eyes turned a misty grey, and the avian started flying around in circles and randomly dove towards the ground. She hit herself, and stumbled. Gible and Toto were beginning to look tired now. Lyra knew they couldn't withstand more rounds of this. "Gible, Tackle! Toto, Water Gun!"

Luck finally started to shine in her favour. Both her Pokemon's attacks hit the Rattata and first Zubat hard, bringing them both down. The owners looked surprised; stunned that some unknown girl could bring them down like that. "Ekans!"

"Rattata!"

Another Rattata… and a purple snake? "Ekans, use Poison Sting!"

"Tackle, Rattata!"

"Supersonic!"

Another round of attacks and another round of damage taken. Starly was still confused and flying around in circles, but managed to avoid an attack. Gible wasn't so fortunate, taking two blows. Tackle threw him back and Poison Sting made him sick. Gible turned a shade of purple and winced. _Oh no,_ Lyra thought. "Poisoned!" She didn't have an Antidote on her. Her only hope was to get to the Pokemon Centre to cure Gible of poisoning before the poison caused Gible to faint.

"Give up?" the ginger taunted.

"Never," Lyra replied. Her heart beat began to quicken. Things weren't looking so good. Gible needed immediate help, but she couldn't flee in the middle of a battle. She had to fight and hope Gible could last the round. All her hopes rested on Toto now. "Gible, Tackle. Toto, Water Gun!" Gible struck the Rattata while Toto took aim at the Ekans.

Ekans hissed upon impact. Rattata cried out once hit. "Ekans, Bite!"

"Supersonic!"

"Tackle!"

The snake lunged at Toto, and tried to sink its fangs into Toto's neck, fortunately Toto jumped out of the way in the nick of time. Gible, on the other hand, was knocked off his feet. He lay on the ground, murmuring, waving his limbs around. Lyra had no choice but to recall him. Being forced to fight while poisoned seemed cruel. Bagon returned to the battlefield looking a little nervous. Fortunately, Starly had recovered from the confusion and had now returned to her normal state.

"Wing Attack, Starly! And Toto, finish that Rattata off with a Water Gun!" Lyra almost screamed. "Bagon, use Rage!"

Bagon uttered a weak roar and jumped forward, smoke exiting its nostrils. He hit the Rattata soon after Toto had doing minimal damage, but it had been enough to cause the purple rodent to faint. Starly's Wing Attack had taken out the Zubat. The Zubat fell to the floor, flapping its wings weakly.

"Oh no, I'm out of Pokemon!" the stocky male said, falling to his knees.

"We clearly underestimated you," the ginger said. "But I will finish you off. Ekans, use Bite!"

The snake lunged at Toto again, this time managing to sink its fangs into Toto's neck. Totodile howled, and frantically shook himself trying to throw the snake off. Another Zubat replaced the fallen Zubat. _Not again,_ Lyra thought.

"Supersonic!"

Lyra was so grateful Supersonic was inaccurate. "Starly, finish that Ekans off with a Wing Attack! Bagon, use Rage again! Toto, end this battle, Water Gun!"

Her Pokemon fed off her energy, and threw themselves at their opponent. Both Ekans and Zubat fainted from the combined attacks. The two standing grunts also dropped to the floor, speechless. "Proton is going to be so mad… let's get out of here before he finds out and asks the boss to dock our pay!" said the stocky male youth. His two companions agreed. They grabbed their pokeballs and raced out of the room before Lyra could say anything.

Although she had won, it did not feel like a victory. Gible had been poisoned, Bagon had been severely wounded and Starly and Toto were running low on energy. The grunts spoke of Proton like he was their superior. Another difficult battle awaited her. She continued moving forward as her Pokemon struggled to keep up with her.

"…and that's the last tail. Archer will be pleased."

"You must be Proton," Lyra said.

Proton was a tall adult male with aqua hair that stuck out on both sides of his head like protruding horns. As with the grunts she had just defeated, he wore black clothes, but his hat had no Team Rocket symbol. The other stand out difference was that he wore grey boots and had white wristbands, which Lyra noted, had dried blood patches on them. She screwed her nose up in disgust.

"You," he said, stepping towards her, a Slowpoke tail dangling in his left hand. "I trust you were the one causing the commotion back there?"

"Who are you people and why are you doing this?"

The man looked her up and down, clicking his tongue. "You're a trainer. You look a little older than the usual ones though. A late bloomer, I trust? You are lucky to have gotten this far, but your journey will end here." He pointed at her. "I'm Proton, one of the top trainers of the glorious Team Rocket and I challenge you to a battle. If you win, I'll tell you some information. And if you lose… well, you get nothing."

Gible was down. Bagon was too weak and inexperienced to take this fight. Starly was still pretty new. This battle would be decided by her exhausted Totodile. The fate of Slowpoke rested on her shoulders. She took in a deep breath and stepped towards Proton, crossing her finger, hoping this battle would be hers.

.

His Xtransceiver vibrated. He immediately pulled it out and answered the call. "Hello?"

"Lance! You need to get back home now! It's an emergency! The Shiny Dratini has been stolen!"

Lance pulled the Xtransceiver away from his ear deafened by Clair's shrill shouts. Once the girl had ceased her shouting, he pulled it closer and answered. "I'll be there as quickly as possible." He cursed, almost hurling his Xtransceiver to the ground. Team Rocket. Damn thieves. Were they stationed in every single city throughout Johto? If so, there was no possible way he could stop them all.

Just the mental image of Team Rocket putting their filthy hands all over the Shiny Dratini made him sick. What did they want with the dragon? What was their game plan? So many questions, yet he had no answers. As much as he wanted to return back home to rescue the Shiny Dratini, he had to make sure the Team Rocket grunts stationed here weren't going to bring more harm to the Slowpoke.

Clair could handle Team Rocket in Blackthorn. He had to look out for Lyra in Azalea Town and make sure the girl didn't get hurt. Although he had been reluctant to keep an eye on her, he found he didn't want to pull away just yet. Besides, he was the Champion and a good Champion had to look out for those in trouble, right? The girl could even lose control of her Gible which could be rather catastrophic. Baby dragons running rogue could cause some major damage and most of the cities in Johto wouldn't be able to cover the damage cost. He remained outside the well. Any sound of trouble and he'd come to the rescue. He just had to wait for the right moment to-

"Oh my Arceus, Lance!"

He jerked his head in the direction of the source of the voice. There was a girl running towards him, her blue pigtails bouncing with each step. Marina. "Oh no," he mumbled, voice betraying fear. If there was one thing he feared, it was fangirls, not that he would openly admit that to anyone. Marina was the worst of them all. What in Arceus's name was the girl doing here of all places? He thought about running away, but the girl was already close.

Marina lunged. Before Lance could make sense of what was happening, he felt himself getting squeezed tightly. Marina was hugging him so firmly as if she thought he was something soft, like a pillow. It was like she was afraid to let him go. "I have wanted to touch you for so long! Just writing about you in my fictional works just isn't good enough," she said, snuggling up against his chest. She ran both her arms up and down his arms, sighing happily.

Lance looked down, feeling awkward. Wrestling with dragons was tame in comparison to this girl. She was very determined to hold onto him. She stuck to him even worse than one of Bugsy's annoying bugs. "Marina, pleasure to meet you," he said as politely as was possible when being hugged to death. He managed to pry the girl off him. "How did you know I was even here? I thought you'd be in Goldenrod?"

She smiled at beam, batting her eyelashes. "The nurse at the Pokemon Centre told me you were here! She's part of the Lance fanclub, silly."

Ah yes, his personal fanclub. How could he forget? He hadn't actually checked the site out afraid it might scar his mind forever. Clair had informed Lance some of the stuff on that site was 'pure gold' and 'rather steamy'. He was afraid what 'steamy' described. "Right. Of course." Dragonite remained at the side, amused. The toughest trainer in Johto and Kanto, reduced to an awkward teenager, unfamiliar with such closeness to a female.

"Well, now that I have found you, you can answer the questions! The nurse has set up an open live chat so your fans can ask you questions." She grabbed his arm, dug her nails in deep and dragged him away to the Pokemon Centre. Lance glanced back at the well, concerned. Lyra needed his help. She couldn't face the grunts that were down there on her own. She wasn't strong enough. "What are you doing? The centre is this way," Marina demanded, tapping her foot impatiently.

Being rude to other people was Clair's speciality, not his. He was only rude to people who deserved it, like Team Rocket members for example. Marina might be exceptionally annoying, but she wasn't evil. They arrived at the Pokemon Centre and Lance was not surprised to find a laptop sitting on the counter. The nurse who had tended to him before stood beside it, smiling faintly, a red tinge on both her cheeks.

"Okay, girls! I found him! The best, and cutest, Champion ever, Lance!" Marina squealed into the laptop. "You know the drill, ladies. Just type your question, send it through the chat room and Lance will answer it live for you all to watch! Isn't that great? Okay," she said, glancing down at the screen. "The first question is from Rihanna, aged seventeen. Rihanna would like to know if you are single."

The less information he gave, the better in this case. That meant the girls would have less information to work with. Best to be as vague as possible. After all, he was known as the mysterious, broody and quiet Champion. It was best to try and uphold that image, not fight it no matter how much he wanted to. "Uh, yes."

Marina winked at him. "Don't forget to wave and smile in the camera. You are live, after all." Lance mustered up a fake grin and waved into the camera feeling like a complete utter dolt. He could be doing so many other important things right now like stopping Team Rocket than dealing with this nonsense. "Next question comes from Hayley, aged sixteen. Hayley says she really likes your cape. She wants to know where she can buy one from."

"Er, Celadon Department Store."

Marina pulled out a notepad and pen, and scribbled it down on the paper. Lance inwardly groaned. So, she was keeping track of this interview. Most likely she was going to post a transcript of the said interview onto her freaky fan site. He looked over her shoulder and caught the sentence, 'likes capes. Buys them from Celadon Department Store.'

"Tina, aged fifty five. Tina wants to know if you could marry her daughter."

 _This is getting rather creepy,_ Lance thought. It seemed like his fans cared nothing for his battling style. They only seemed to like him because he was the Champion and looked cool. "Not possible, sorry." He wasn't even past twenty yet. He had no desire at all to be wedded to some stranger. Heck, he had no interest in committing himself to a significant other. Being the ultimate Dragon Master and saving the world from evil were the only things that mattered to him. There was no time for love.

"Clair, aged sixteen. Clair wants to let you know that you look ridiculous right now." Marina frowned at that, and Lance immediately knew by the tone of those words, that it was his bratty cousin behind the screen. How on earth did she know the website link? Oh, that's right. She read his letters. He experienced a fleeting emotion of fear. Did Clair have an account on there? What had she posted? Is that how she knew so much because she was a registered member?

"And final question. Rebecca, aged sixteen. She would like to know if it's true that you sleep with a Dragonite plushie. She says she hopes it's true because that would be really cute. She also adds that she has bought one to remind her of you."

Damn Clair. "No. That's false information," he answered in a quiet, controlled tone. Now he was really going to have to check out all the information about him on this website.

"Sorry ladies, but that's all we have time for now. But don't worry. There will be another chance for a live chat with the gorgeous Champion of Johto and Kanto. I'll keep you updated! Keep checking 'Lance Fans Unite' every day for updates. Goodbye everyone."

Thank Arceus that was over now. "I'd love to stay, but I really must be going. There's someone I have to check up on," Lance said, edging away from Marina and the nurse girl. As soon as those words left his mouth, he regretted them immediately.

"Oh! Has some lucky girl caught your eye?" Marina said, trying to sound polite, but he could see a sense of jealousy in the way her expression hardened.

He replied quickly, not wanting to give her the wrong idea. "No, not at all. I didn't mean it that way. I'm on Champion business."

She studied him for a few brief seconds then smiled. "Oh, all right then. That's okay. Bye, Lance! So glad that I got to meet you in person! Don't forget about my show in Goldrenrod City this coming weekend. I hope you'll be there!" She waved him goodbye and he strode out the Pokemon Centre as fast as possible, not daring himself to look back.

That was possibly the most terrifying thing he had ever had to do.

.

The battle started, and immediately Lyra found herself at a disadvantage. His Zubat's Supersonic had struck gold causing Totodile to run around in circles, chasing after his tail. If she had been a spectator, she would've found it quite cute – but this was a serious battle and she desperately needed Toto with a clear mind.

"Toto," she pleaded. "Use Water Gun!"

Toto used Water Gun… but hit her instead. Now she was soaking wet. Proton arched his neck back, and released a booming laugh which echoed throughout the cave. He ceased his laughter and looked at her, waving a finger at her face. "Little girl, you should quit while you are behind. You could not possibly believe you could defeat me, an elite member of the mighty Team Rocket? Such foolishness shall be punished." This time, Zubat use Leech Life.

Lyra clenched her teeth, trying her hardest not to emit a cry of frustration. She had to have faith in herself, and in her partner. "Toto… I know you can hear me…" she said, in a voice barely above a whisper. "I believe in you." Toto's eyes returned to their normal colour. He snapped his jaws, and sent forth a powerful Water Gun, knocking Zubat out of the air.

Proton's eyes widened. He hadn't been expecting that. "Hmph, you have some power. Zubat, Supersonic!" Zubat's attack missed, fortunately.

"Toto, use Water Gun again!" This time, Toto's attack had done enough damage to take the bat down. Zubat was unconscious. Lyra almost did her victory dance, when Toto stumbled and fell face first onto the ground. Her eyes widened. "Toto!" She ran to her partner's side and knelt down beside him, looking through fearful eyes. Toto was shaking. Was he in pain? She could not tell.

The convulsing continued, growing more powerful with each passing second. Lyra was beyond horrified now – what on earth was happening? She could only watch her loyal partner go through a period of suffering. The shaking came to a sudden stop. Lyra reached out a hand to touch her partner, but drew it back immediately when Toto began to glow. She glimpsed at Proton. He looked more impressed than surprised. Whatever was happening to Toto couldn't be a bad thing then.

The white light disappeared and Toto was no longer there. A new creature stood in its place. A blue and yellow crocodile stood at her side, reaching to a height of Lyra's shoulder. He had three clusters of red spikes on its body: one with three points on its head like a crest, one with two points on its back, and a diamond-shaped spike on its tail. It looked like Totodile, only it was taller, bulkier and much more intimidating to look at.

The Pokemon had black markings around its red eyes, giving it a rather imposing look. But what caught her eye was the asymmetrical, yellow pattern on the Pokemon's chest. It looked like spotted animal skin. She held up her Pokedex to obtain new data.

 _Croconaw. The second evolution of Totodile. If it loses a fang, a new one grows back in its place. There are always forty eight fangs lining its mouth._

Her cute Totodile had evolved? So that explained the past few horrifying seconds. Totodile had simply been evolving. She looked at her Croconaw and smiled. "You had me worried there for a moment." Croconaw smiled back, revealing a sharp row of fangs. Lyra felt sorry for any Pokemon on the receiving end of a Croconaw's bite. She turned to Proton. "This battle is far from over."

"You're lucky your Pokemon evolved, but it's not going to save you. Koffing!"

A round purple Pokemon appeared, hovering in the air. Lyra couldn't tell how it remained in the air for it had no wings at all. An unidentifiable gas shrouded the Koffing. It had no smell, but it made her feel sick. Whatever it was, Lyra felt herself coming down with cold-like symptoms. She wiped her eyes and sniffed. Her Pokedex provided a brief explanation.

 _Koffing. Its thin, filmy body is filled with gases that cause constant sniffles, coughs and teary eyes._

"Koffing, use Tackle!" Koffing tackled. Croconaw held its ground, and pushed the Koffing back.

"Croconaw, use Bite!" Croconaw opened his powerful jaws, and sunk his fangs into the Koffing's armour. The Koffing struggled to free itself against his grip.

"Koffing, use Smog!" Purple toxic gas exited through the holes in Koffing's body, travelling down Croconaw's windpipe. Croconaw's eyes widened. The reptile released his jaws, staggering back coughing. More tears flowed down Lyra's face. She too coughed.

"Use Water Gun!" Lyra ordered, just as another cough left her. Croconaw turned a shade of purple. Poisoned, just like Gible. Time was running out. She needed to end this battle now or lose everything. Water Gun drenched the Koffing, plugging its holes.

Proton cursed. "Infuriating reptile. Koffing, Tackle!" he spat. Koffing hurled itself at Croconaw. Once again, Croconaw held his ground.

"Use Bite!" Jaws sunk into Koffing's rock hard body. Lyra was surprised Toto's teeth didn't break. The Koffing wheezed, its eyes rolling back into its head. It flopped to the floor, unmoving.

"Impossible!" Proton exclaimed.

Realization that she had just won began to sink in. "We did it… We actually did it…"

"We will meet again, and next time, you won't be so lucky!" Proton spat. He made a break for the exit, leaving Lyra alone in the Slowpoke Well. She broke out of her trance and threw herself at Croconaw, hugging the reptile tightly. "You did it, you did it! You saved the Slowpoke!" she cheered.

"That was a magnificent battle! Perhaps…"

Lyra expected to see Kurt standing there, but instead she saw an adult female wearing a red kimono dress. She stopped dancing, looking a little embarrassed. How long had this lady been standing there for? "Oh. Um…"

"The way you battled against that evil man… the bond you share with your Pokemon… perhaps you can… No. It's too early to know yet," the lady said, as if she was talking to more to herself than to Lyra. She looked at Lyra thoughtfully, and smiled. "There is much potential in you, dear girl. What you just did – is a miraculous achievement for one so inexperienced. I believe you will continue to do great things."

Before Lyra could ask further questions, the kimono girl turned around and walked away. What had just happened there? Who was that lady? She thought about pursing the kimono girl when Kurt entered, huffing and puffing. He glanced around the well. "I saw two Rocket Grunts exit out the front. You saved the Slowpoke."

"It was nothing, really," Lyra said.

"You did a great deed for Azalea Town, and you will be remembered as the trainer who saved the Slowpoke. Please, come with me. You have earned yourself a warm meal and a nice bed for the night," he said, leading Lyra back to his house. _A nice bed and a good meal sounded good,_ she thought.

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Lance hurried to the well, hoping he wasn't too late. If Lyra had failed, which was highly likely considering she was just a rookie, then he'd blame himself for not being there. The whole scenario with Marina had been an excellent way to waste time. He made a mental note to disguise himself the next time he went into town, but it was so hard to part with his beloved cape.

What was this? He came to a sudden stop, ducking behind a building. Lyra and Kurt walked past. They were both smiling. Lance caught the words, 'Team Rocket defeated', and 'saved the Slowpoke' as they passed by. He also noticed the rather large Croconaw following behind Lyra. The girl had saved the Slowpoke _and_ gotten her Totodile to evolve?

He had to admit. He was rather impressed and that did not happen very often. Most trainers were inferior, but this girl had defied the odds. It was such a big achievement for an inexperienced trainer. If someone had told him that a girl had defeated Team Rocket in her first few days as a trainer, he would've laughed if he hadn't already seen the girl battle. His grandfather had been right after all. There was something truly special about this girl.

He hadn't seen much of her, nor did he know much about her, but from what he had seen he could make the conclusion that she was a trainer worth watching. She battled with heart and passion. She was loyal and caring towards her Pokemon. She fought for honour and justice. She had all the makings of being a Dragon Master if she were to decide to walk down that path. No wonder his grandfather wanted to look out for her. She had the qualities he wanted Lance to have.

Shame poured through him. He had doubted the girl, convincing himself she couldn't handle Team Rocket, but she had proved him wrong and achieved what he had been unable to do. Drive Team Rocket away from Azalea Town and the Slowpoke Well.

His Xtransceiver vibrated again, bringing him out of his thoughts. "Hello?"

"Lance!" Clair exclaimed. "Why aren't you here yet? I'm not lying. Get here now!"

Oh, right. The stolen Dratini. Clair was the one that needed supervising, not Lyra. He felt a little sad to be leaving now. He was curious to see how Lyra would continue to grow as a trainer, but duty called. "Come on Dragonite, you've got a long flight ahead of you. We have to head back to Blackthorn." Dragonite nodded, lowering himself down a little, so Lance could climb onto his back. Once he was on, Dragonite jumped into the air and flew off towards home.


	9. Becoming a Legend

Re-uploaded for old time's sake. Thanks to mestwendyfan for reviewing the previous chapter. This chapter is the original version - grammatical things have changed in the ebook edition.

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 **Chapter Eight: Becoming a Legend**

It was often believed Mount Silver was uninhabitable by humans due to its wild terrain and rough unpredictable weather. There were four seasons; winter, spring, summer and autumn, and each season brought with it such wild weather Mount Silver had earned itself another name - the Desolate Mountain. Courageous adventurers often tried to climb the highest peak in the region, but no one had ever made it past halfway.

Or at least that's what the townsfolk believed.

"Pika, pika." A little yellow rodent stepped out from the silver fern tree, and sniffed the ground, its ears standing erect. Its ears twitched. The rodent paused to observe its surroundings. It lowered its belly to the floor and stared directly ahead at some pine trees. The rodent relaxed when a human appeared from behind.

The human was a young male. A trainer to be precise. He wore a red cap backwards, dressed in simple denim jeans and wore a red and white jacket with a black shirt underneath. His eyes rested on the rodent, and the corners of his mouth curved upwards into a smile. The rodent rushed forwards and sat at the trainer's legs, huddling up against him, as a chilly powerful gust blew through the peak.

The trainer moved towards the mountain's edge and looked down at the world below. The skies were abnormally clear today – usually, the peak was covered in thick cloud. He took it as a sign. When the clouds cleared it meant things were going to get interesting around here. Whether that was a good or a bad thing remained to be seen. He couldn't see into the future, but he did know one fact – his time on Mount Silver was coming to an end.

The mountain had been his home for the past three years now braving the conditions with his team of loyal Pokemon. Some days he regretted moving here – sometimes he wondered what life would've been like if he had stayed at the league to fulfil his duties as the Champion of the region. Sometimes, he missed the companionship other people provided. And other days, he was glad he made the decision to make Mount Silver his home.

He lived a simple life in small cottage he had built with assistance of his Pokemon. He had no television, no fridge, no table… nothing at all, but a fireplace made of sticks in the centre of the house. He slept, and ate, on the floor. When he wasn't sleeping or eating, he spent his daylight hours training his Pokemon, perfecting his technique and the mastering the art of battling. No trainer in any region could match up to his skill and strength.

Even the current Champion of Johto and Kanto, could not hope to match him in battle. Although the Champion was skilled, his style was all wrong and lacked any real form of strategy. He relied on pure power alone, something Red wasn't too fond of. It's why he refused to battle Lance. He didn't want to fight a trainer that was predictable, and he didn't want to battle against someone who thought themselves as superior because they trained a certain type. All Pokemon deserved to be treated equally, no matter what their type was.

Red wanted to battle someone who was a real Champion. Someone who shared a bond with their Pokemon that was as strong as the one he shared with his. A bond so strong that even a legendary would sense it and bend to the will of that trainer. The legendaries he had captured had long since left his service.

The three elemental felines, Entei, Suicine and Raikou roamed Johto and Kanto looking for the next worthy trainer. The three elemental birds, Moltres, Zapdos and Articuno, had chosen to return to their homes and wait instead. His former Mewtwo, the psychic Pokemon, was hiding at the bottom of Cerulean Cave. As for Ho-Oh and Lugia, they were both in hiding, waiting for the next trainer with a pure heart to show themselves. Unlike the other legendaries, Red did not know if the two were even in Johto anymore.

Needless to say, he was a little surprised to catch a rare glimpse of a rainbow above the horizon. His moves moved to the end of the rainbow and spotted a large black dot. His senses told him Ho-Oh had returned, but not for him. Rainbows didn't appear randomly like that. He arched his neck back, looking up. He had been right to assume this was a sign. A sign the next legendary trainer was eventually going to reach Mount Silver.

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"Whatever happened to Red anyway?" Lyra asked, after taking a sip from her mug of hot chocolate. It was still reasonably warm outside, but she couldn't say no to a free hot chocolate.

Kurt sat down across the girl with his granddaughter sitting directly at his side. "Many believe Red moved to a different region after he had defeated the league. Some people even believe the boy had died."

Lyra frowned, thoughtful. "What do you think happened to him?"

"I believe he still calls Kanto his home."

"But why would he want to hide?"

Kurt cleared his throat. "Being a Champion is a huge responsibility. You are the most powerful trainer in the region; you represent the values and beliefs a trainer should have. You are the guardian of the land and it's your duty to look out for the people," he added, pausing to take a sip of his drink. "To become the Champion is one of the many reasons trainers take on this long journey. Many people want to be recognized for their talents and feel this is the best way to do this, but only a small percentage of trainers earn all eight badges. A tiny percentage of those fortunate trainers make it past Victory Road. And out of those fortunate trainers, only one percent will make it to the top."

Lyra almost choked on a marshmallow. "One percent?" Her eyes were wide. One percent of trainers who made it to the league won the title? Her chances of claiming the trophy were looking rather slim now. "How does someone even make it that far then? How did Red manage to do it? Did people ask him?"

"Red was a rare case. He never spoke – whether he couldn't speak or simply chose not to, we will never know. What became apparent throughout his adventures was that he was a different type of trainer. His connection with Pokemon was stronger than those who had been trainers for decades. His mascot Pokemon didn't even need to reach its final evolution to win difficult matches."

"What Pokemon did he use?" Lyra asked, leaning forward. Hearing about Red's legendary adventures made her admire him even more than she had in the past. Red had come from nothing, and yet he had gone on to forge a legend that would last forever. His adventures were inspiring.

"He had a Lapras, a Venosaur, a Blastoise, a Snorlax, a Charizard and a Pikachu," Kurt said. "The media constantly made fun of his choices, especially Red's Pikachu. The Pokemon never reached its final evolution, yet it displayed power a Raichi didn't have. Red proved all his critics wrong when he claimed the title from Blue. Some trainers today don't wish to evolve their Pokemon to the final stage hoping they can follow the steps his Pikachu had created."

Lyra took another sip of her drink. "I can see why people label him as legendary then." She finished her drink and stood up, wiping her mouth clean of the chocolate. "Thank you for your hospitality."

Kurt smiled. "Thank you for saving the Slowpoke. You have done a great deed here and you will be remembered for it." He looked at her Croconaw, his smile growing wider. "Go now, and take on the gym challenge. Follow in the footsteps of Red. May Arceus watch over you," he said, bowing. His granddaughter led Lyra out of the house, giving the girl a parting hug before Lyra exited.

She looked back and waved then made her way to the gym.

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As he rode on the back of Dragonite, he couldn't stop thinking about the events that had just passed. His thoughts were centred on a girl – a rookie fourteen year old female – which he found unsettling. The girl had done something he hadn't been able to. His duty as Champion was to stop evil organizations like Team Rocket from bringing harm to the land, but she had taken that away from him.

She wasn't the Champion of Johto and Kanto. She was just some trainer starting out on their journey to make it to the top. It wasn't in her job description to take on criminals. That was supposed to be his task. And he had failed, just like he had failed to claim the title as Champion correctly. Lyra was too young and innocent to be thrown into this mess. But if he had been able to do his duty correctly, then she wouldn't have had to be the one to save the Slowpoke.

He needed a chance to prove to himself that he was worthy of being a true Champion. That he was worthy enough to be the head of the Pokemon League. People expected their Champions to do great things – people still talked about Red's legendary deeds even to this day. When people spoke of Lance, they often talked about his appearance and the power of his dragons, but never about his heroic achievements because he had none. The Slowpoke had been saved by an inexperienced trainer. He wouldn't be surprised if the girl somehow managed to save the Shiny Dratini as well. After all, hadn't his grandfather seen in a vision Lyra was going to be the one to defeat Team Rocket?

Suddenly, he saw the truth: he didn't want Lyra getting herself involved with Team Rocket not because he wanted her to be safe, but so he would have the chance to finally prove he was a true Champion. He felt threatened by her the very moment his grandfather had said Lyra would be the one to save the world and dethrone him as Champion. He was rocked by another realization. He was jealous over _a rookie female trainer._ He, the world's greatest Dragon Master and Champion of both Johto and Kanto, was worried because of some girl called Lyra!

How the rest of the region would laugh if they ever found out. He forced thoughts of Lyra aside, choosing to focus on the path ahead. He could see Blackthorn Gym now. They were close. The opportunity to stop Team Rocket would not escape from him. Not this time.

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The trip to Kanto took five days by ship. Although the ship had its own fair share of luxury facilities, Jacob figured he might as well spend some time in the lounge. He was going to be staring at nothing else but the ocean for the next couple of days. Looking at the snow falling outside the window wouldn't hurt.

He sat down at the far end of the ship, doing his best to distance himself as much as possible from the other passengers on board. A few people looked in his direction and whispered to their friends, but no one dared to speak with him. He spotted the group of girls that had laughed at him earlier on. They noticed him as well and traded excited whispers with each other, their eyes fixed on his face. It didn't take a genius to know he was the topic of their conversation. He turned away, his attention landing on the newspaper beneath the opposite chair to him.

"My Gible is stronger than your Bagon!"

"No way! Bagon is better!"

"Gible!"

"Bagon!"

Jacob glanced over his shoulder and spotted two young male tamers engaged in an argument about their baby dragons. Both tamers appeared to be no older than twelve and he wondered why they were on this ship when they hardly looked like they had done much travelling at all. Their conversation had piqued his interest – anything involving dragons had his fill attention.

"I challenge you to a battle! I'll show you that my Gible is stronger!"

"I accept! Let's battle!"

The two males stood up and walked to the centre of the ship, taking their battle positions in preparation for the fight. Other passengers on board turned their heads to watch while one passenger hurried away to call a guard. The first tamer summoned his Gible and the other brought out his Bagon.

"Use Tackle, Gible!"

"Use Bite, Bagon!"

The two dragons collided. Gible knocked the Bagon onto its belly, but the Bagon fought back, kicking its stubby legs out before clamping his jaws around the Gible's arm. It was like watching two kids in a schoolyard brawl – awkward and amateur. The dragons had great power and the tamers didn't even know it. They needed to be taught a lesson. He focused his mind on the Gible fighting.

Scientists around the world thought they knew everything there was to know about Pokemon, but in reality, they only knew a small fraction. It was often believed Pokemon had no emotions, that they simply relied on instinct for their decision-making, but Jacob knew that theory was false. Pokemon, at least the dragon-type, could feel emotions and these two dragons had been abused by their trainers.

He could feel their pain as if it were his own. There were no scars on their bodies, but the mental scars were deep. Both the Gible and Bagon had been physically pushed to the limit and beaten when they had shown signs of exhaustion. Anger poured through him. Dragons were sacred creatures, not mindless tools to be abused! He brought a hand to his right temple and concentrated his efforts on the Bagon, venturing further into the Pokemon's mind.

 _Turn against your tamer._

The Bagon released its hold over the Gible then turned around to face its tamer. Shock took hold of the boy's face. "What are you doing? Finish him!"

Instead of attacking the Gible, Bagon turned his power against his tamer, ramming his head into the shins. The tamer toppled over, spluttering and waving his hands like a fool, shouting obscenities at his dragon. Jacob lowered his hand thus ending the control he had over it. The Bagon stopped attacking his tamer and remained still, an expression of confusion on his face. His tamer stood up and ran away, his sobs echoing throughout the ship.

Jacob sank back down in his seat rather pleased with himself. While his father had the ability to see into the future, he had been born with the power to control the minds of dragons. It was the reason his father banished him from the clan in the first place, though the man simply told the clan Jacob had broken the law and had to leave.

"Still up to your old tricks, Jacob?" a man asked, breaking him out of his thoughts. At the sound of his voice, Jacob turned to study him. An elderly man wearing a blue coat with a white scarf hanging around his shoulders, sat down across from him, resting his walking stick on the seat. Pryce. The gym leader of Mahogany Town and a real thorn in his backside. "You are playing a dangerous game."

Jacob snorted. "You're the only person on board this ship who knows who I am and what I can do." Leaning back in his chair, he folded his arms and gave her an impatient look. "Why are you here? I thought you were done being my father's pet, or has he asked you to watch me over again?" he added curtly.

"I am returning from a vacation in Sinnoh. Why are you on board this ship?"

"On vacation. Like yourself."

Pryce didn't flinch. "You have heard the news about your father then?"

"It's hard to avoid when it's all over the news."

"Your father is tired, Jacob. He has a difficult job balancing his duties between being the Clan Elder and raising your son and niece, whom I might add are the reasons behind his ill health. Your son in particular is proving to be a real concern to your father."

Jacob gave him a long hard stare. "And what do you expect me to do? The boy doesn't even know me. I'm a stranger to him. You should know that – you were there when my father gave me my sentence." He had been forced to stand on a podium, with his head and arms in a pillory, while the tamers threw various food items at him while his sentence was read out. The process had taken a couple of hours until he was finally released and forced to leave everything behind.

"It was a sentence you deserved. You enslaved the mind of the rogue Dragonite when you should've allowed my ice-types to deal with the situation. Yet, you willingly broke the law of your clan to obtain power for yourself, thus endangering the lives of your people. Your father did right in banishing you."

Jacob leaned back in his chair. "Is this why you speak to me now? To bring up events of the past? To shame me? Is that your intention?" He narrowed his eyes, giving a sardonic laugh. "Save your words, Pryce. I've lost too much to even care anymore." Since being banished from the clan over two decades ago, he had been living in Sinnoh, earning money by defeating other trainers on the routes. He had heard himself referred to as one of the 'wild trainers' which was an insult used to classify those who had no place to call home.

"You could return home."

"Beg for forgiveness? No. I'd rather die."

"I can see where Lance gets his stubbornness from…" Pryce murmured. "Your son walks down the same path of self-destruction you once took. If you wish to allow your family name to be further shamed, then you will stand by and do nothing, but hide. I can see why my old friend is worried – when he dies, the clan dies with him." The ice-type gym leader stood up, wrapped his fingers around the handle of his walking stick, then walked away, leaving Jacob feeling like he had just taken a dive in a tub of ice. Seeing Lance after all these years _would_ be an interesting experience.

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As soon as Lyra stepped inside, she felt her insides tighten. It was like she had stepped into a forest again, only this one was populated with trainers and cobwebs. The deep dark seemingly bottomless pits only added to her already nervous state.

"Welcome to the Azalea Gym! This gym is led by Bugsy, a specialist bug-type trainer. To get across, you simply have to climb on the right spider. Step on the wrong one and you'll find yourself at a dead end, or facing one of the trainers," the gym advisor said. "Make sure you have at least one flying-type on your team."

She thanked him for his advice and stepped towards the first set of three spiders. Getting on the back of one those things made her feel a little squeamish – she was no fan of bugs. But upon closer inspection, she noticed they were mechanical and not actually real spiders. That made her feel better. Slightly better.

She stepped towards the middle one and examined her surroundings. The opposite platform on the far left side was empty, while the far one on the right had a trainer. Her direct opposite was where she needed to go, but she wanted to fight the trainer first to get an idea of what she could face at the end.

So she stepped on the middle spider, after returning her Toto to its pokeball for safety reasons. The Spinarak kart moved across the different rails until it reached its destination. Lyra jumped off and prepared to face off against Bug Trainer AI. She called out her first Pokemon, Starly. The Bug Trainer simply smirked. "You think you'll win just because you have a bird? Think again, trainer."

So many cocky trainers. Looks like I have to put another trainer in their rightful place, she thought. AI summoned his first Pokemon which was a Caterpie. Lyra felt the urge to laugh. How could such a cute looking caterpillar beat a bird? She pointed a finger at the Caterpie and issued her first command. "Starly, use Wing Attack!"

Having a type advantage gave Starly extra attacking power and the Caterpie was knocked out before it could retaliate. The trainer's smirk faded, eyes growing wide. He wiped a few beads of sweat away and called out his next Pokemon. This one also looked like a caterpillar only it was brown and equipped with a two-inch singer on its head and tail. She pulled out her Pokedex for answers.

 _Weedle. Its poison stinger is very powerful. Its bright-coloured body is intended to warn off its enemies._

"Starly, use Wing Attack again!"

Flapping her wings Starly summoned two small funnels of feathers and directed them towards the Weedle. As with the Caterpie, the bug Pokemon was at a huge disadvantage. The Weedle was knocked out before it could attack. _This is rather easy,_ Lyra thought. Surely, this couldn't be it? She'd steamroll this gym at the rate.

"My precious bug Pokemon!" AI wept, dropping to his knees, cradling his fainted Pokemon.

Lyra turned away and hopped back on the kart and returned to her original starting point. This time, she took the kart on the far left. This one would take her to the opposite middle platform. Fortunately, the ride was a short one. Lyra hopped off, walked forwards and soon found herself facing the next trainer, Benny.

"I will show you the power of bug Pokemon!" the boy declared, summoning his first one. A Weedle appeared.

Instead of using her Starly, Lyra summoned her Bagon. Bagon was still in its very early stages and needed a little bit more experience. Fighting against weak bug Pokemon seemed like a good way to get achieve that. "Bagon, use Bite!" Bagon jumped forward, clamping his jaws around the Weedle.

The Weedle fought hard to free itself from the Bagon's jaws and somehow managed to escape. "Weedle, use Poison Sting!" The Weedle jumped forward, head butting the Bagon underneath the chin, driving its stinger deep. Bagon hissed and fought back, throwing the Weedle off. Fortunately, the Weedle's stinger had not gotten too far in to cause poisoning.

"Bagon, use Bite again!" Bagon lunged forward and once again clamped its jaws around the Weedle's frail body. The Weedle tried to free itself, but this time failed to escape. Bagon shook its head left and right then left again, releasing the Weedle at the third shake. The Weedle fell to the ground, unconscious. _Another win for me_.

Bug Trainer Benny brought out his second Pokemon. A funny looking yellow cocoon appeared. Its pitch black eyes were quite large for its body size. Unlike the Caterpie, this one was rather freaky to look at, but didn't look that strong either. Once again, Lyra brought out her Pokedex to obtain additional information.

 _Kakuna. The evolved form of Weedle. Although it is a cocoon, it can move a little. It can extend its poison barb if it is attacked._

"Bagon, use Bite!"

"Kakuna, use Harden!"

The Kakuna was the first to move. The Pokemon did not attack, but temporarily changed to a silver colour. Lyra had a feeling it had somehow improved its defence meaning it would be harder to bring down. Bagon attacked. He tried to bite down on the Kakuna, but the Pokemon improved defences made it difficult for Bagon's attack to be effective.

Lyra recalled her Bagon and swapped it out for Starly. "Starly, use Wing Attack!" Starly flapped. The mini funnels struck the bug Pokemon hard, causing it to faint. The boy kicked the ground, spitting at the floor.

"You are pretty good to take down my two Pokemon. But you won't past my third. Beedrill!"

Needless to say, the Beedrill caught Lyra by surprise. She expected a Caterpie or another Weedle, but instead she faced a wasp. It looked down at her now, large red eyes glaring down at her. The Beedrill waved its two long, conical stingers at her and buzzed. "Beedrill, use Fury Attack!" The Beedrill buzzed again, much louder this time, drowning out any other noise. It flew up into the air, raised its two stingers, and flew towards the Starly.

The stingers struck Starly several times over, each one inflicting a small percentage of damage. Fortunately, Starly didn't seem that affected by it, and flapped back into the air, circling the wasp. "Starly, finish that Beedrill off with a Wing Attack!" Using the same move over and over again wasn't the best strategy, but it sure was effective. Besides, her Pokemon didn't know enough moves yet to develop a strategy so for now, hitting hard and fast was the most efficient way to win a tough battle.

Although the Beedrill looked menacing, it was quickly taken down. "I can't believe it!" the boy exclaimed, jaw agape. "You defeated my bug Pokemon."

Lyra just shrugged. What else could she say? She continued past the boy until she reached another Spinarak kart. The rails she had to cross were more complex than the section she had just passed. They also had different colours – grey, red and blue. She could see four trainers standing on the opposite side. On the far left, she spotted a blue switch next to two twin girls, and on the far right, a lone bug trainer. She couldn't see any signs of a red switch and she suspected it was on her side. _Probably opposite to the twins,_ she thought.

The trainer in the middle looked back at her from across the gaping hole, giving Lyra a mocking grin. He was short; probably about the same height as herself. He also had strange coloured hair like Falkner. Falkner hair blue hair, this guy had purple hair. Lyra began to wonder if the other trainers in Johto all had unnatural coloured hair. _Now how do I get across_ , she thought, looking around.

Unlike the previous section, there was only one kart. Lyra figured she had to use the switches to steer her into the right section, but first she needed to battle the other gym trainers. She flipped the blue switch on and moved onto the Spinarak kart. The kart moved, crossed over the first right beam and moved upwards towards the bug trainer. She climbed off and prepared to battle again.

She caught a glimpse of his nametag. Josh. "Can you work out how to use the switches to reach Bugsy?" The boy threw out his pokeball and Lyra did the same. She summoned her Starly. An orange insect appeared. It peered up at Lyra with big wide eyes. It almost looked cute.

 _Paras. It is doused with mushroom spores when it is born. As its body grows, mushrooms sprout from its back._

 _Having a mushroom growing out of your back sounded like an annoyance,_ Lyra thought. But having a mushroom wasn't going to make its defences stronger. "Starly, use Wing Attack!"

Another critical blow and another Pokemon down. Her team was doing quite well – not one of her Pokemon had suffered a major blow and there were only two trainers left before the gym leader. She ignored the boy's complaints and hopped back onto the kart. The kart took her back to her previous position. This time, she turned the blue switch on again making the blue railing available to cross.

She hopped back onto the kart and followed the same route she had taken to reach the boy, but this time she crossed the blue railing. The kart moved to the left, crossing over onto the red railing which brought her to the identical twins. Amy and May. The girls traded smiles. "If you can defeat us then you're strong enough to take on the leader!" Together, the girls threw their pokeballs.

"Ledyba!"

"Spinarak!"

Two more new bug Pokemon. The Ledyba reminded her of a ladybeetle while the Spinarak looked exactly the karts she had been using to get across. Even though she knew what their names were now, she still wanted to obtain information.

 _Ledyba. It is very timid. It will be afraid to move if it is alone. But it will be active if it is in a group._

 _Spinarak. It lies still in the same pose for days in its web, waiting for its unsuspecting prey to wander close._

Lyra put her Pokedex away and summoned her Starly and Gible to take the battle.

"Gible, use Dragon Rage! Starly, use Wing Attack!"

Together, her Pokemon attacked their opponents. Dragon Rage wiped out Ledyba and Starly's Wing Attack took out Spinarak within seconds. This gym had been ridiculously easy so far she was beginning to wonder if the gym leader was even going to be a challenge. The twins started to cry. Lyra moved quickly, flicking the blue switch besides the twins on.

She hopped back onto the Spinarak kart and moved towards her direct opposite side where the red switch was. Fortunately, there were no trainers on this side. She flipped it on and hopped on the kart again and moved towards the gym leader. Having turned on and off the correct switches, the path to the gym leader had become available.

The boy jumped into the air, waving his bug net around. He settled and pointed the net at her. "I'm Bugsy! I never lose when it comes to Bug-type Pokemon. My research is going to make me an authority on bug-type Pokemon! Let me demonstrate what I've learnt from my studies."

Was the boy stronger than he looked? This could be another one of those, 'looks can be deceiving cases'. She took in a deep breath and braced herself for a tough fight.


	10. Bugged Out

Thanks to mestwendyfan for reviewing the previous chapter

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 **Chapter Nine: Bugged Out**

The battle had already commenced. Bugsy had immediately quashed all her beliefs that bug Pokemon were weak when Scyther appeared on the field. It was truly an intimidating Pokemon, with blade-like forearms that were capable of slicing through logs. The arms reminded her of a scythe. She did not look forward to her Pokemon being on the receiving end of those blades.

Bugsy lifted a finger and pointed it at Lyra, flicking a strand of hair away from his face. If Lyra didn't already know Bugsy was a guy, she would've assumed Bugsy was a she. "Many people say that bug-type Pokemon are weak. I'm here to prove to you that Bug types can handle anything. Give it your best shot, trainer… but don't come crying to me after you lose. Scyther, use U-Turn!"

Faster than the human eye could see, Scyther struck hard and fast, throwing itself into a ball. It struck Starly hard, almost knocking the avian over. Lyra knew Starly wouldn't be able to withstand an attack like that again. Scyther returned to its pokeball and was immediately replaced by a Kakuna. Lifting an eyebrow, Lyra looked at Bugsy for an explanation.

"A Pokemon that uses U-Turn returns to its trainer. That's too bad for you and Starly, but good news for me."

Well, at least it was only a Kakuna and not another Scyther. "Starly, use Wing Attack!" Fortunately for Lyra's sake, Bugsy's Kakuna was laughably weak. It was not much stronger than the other Kakuna's she had faced. Bugsy didn't even show any concern when his Kakuna fainted – it was as if he expected that to happen.

Once Kakuna fainted, Bugsy called out his Scyther again. Dammit, thought Lyra. Starly couldn't survive another attack – she had to change or lose her one real weapon against the super bug. She swapped out her Starly for Toto, hoping to rely on the reptile's heavy bulk.

"Scyther, use Quick Attack!"

Scyther slammed into Croconaw, causing the reptile to stumble backwards. Fortunately, Toto was sturdy enough to remain on its feet. "Toto, use Bite!" Unfortunately, for Lyra, Scyther was much faster and attacked again before Lyra had a chance. The Scyther used Quick Attack again, striking Lyra's Pokemon hard. Croconaw was hanging on by a mere thread. _Come on Toto,_ Lyra silently hoped. _Please inflict some form of damage._

Croconaw lunged forward and bit down on one of the Scyther's arms. The opponent's Pokemon fought back, using its other forearm to free itself from Croconaw's grip. A hiss of pain left Croconaw's mouth as the Scyther removed its arm. "Scyther, use U-Turn!"

Not again, Lyra thought. The attack was powerful enough to cause Croconaw to faint. Her heart beat began to quicken sweat beads beginning to form on her forehead. Using the back palm of her hand, she wiped the beads away, but the nerves were still there. How could she defeat something that moved so damn fast?

A strange looking green shell replaced Scyther. Lyra used her Pokedex to obtain information.

 _Metapod. The evolved form of Caterpie. Inside the shell, it is soft and weak as it prepares to evolve. It stays motionless in the shell._

It didn't look intimidating at all which proved to Lyra, Bugsy's Metapod and Kakuna were shields for Scyther. Now if only she could take that bug down…

"Starly!" She brought back her trusty avian to the field. "Wing Attack!" At least this time she managed to land an attack first. The Metapod fainted. Starly flapped to the ground and froze. Lyra raised an eyebrow. "Starly?" she repeated.

Starly closed her eyes and sat on the floor, as if it were sitting on a nest. She tucked her head under her wings and started to vibrate. A while glow emanated from her as the Pokemon continued to shake. Having seen this before with her Totodile, Lyra wasn't frightened, but she was still concerned. Did the Pokemon feel pain when it evolved?

A few seconds later a much larger version of Starly stood before her. The avian's feathers were still the same colour, only they were longer. The bird also looked less cute than her baby version, sacrificing cuteness for a more mature look. The tuft of feathers on the bird's head curved forward, now twice as long as it had been before.

 _Staravia. The evolved form of Starly. They flock around mountains and fields, chasing after bug Pokemon._

Lyra couldn't help but think the Kakuna and Metapod had possibly won the battle for her, giving her Starly the experience it needed to evolve. Now Staravia was faster and stronger – possibly strong enough to defeat Scyther with one lucky hit. According to her Pokedex, Staravia could learn a new move – Double Team, which increased the Pokemon's evasion ability.

But in order for her Staravia to learn it, she needed to forget another. Double Team could potentially win her the battle if luck was on her side, but what move to sacrifice? Tackle? Quick Attack? Wing Attack? Growl, the move she never used? There wasn't much time to think about it. She decided to forget Growl. "Staravia, forget Growl. Learn Double Team."

Professor Elm had mentioned earlier on Pokemon could be commanded to forget moves when evolving. All she had to do was touch her pokeball against her Pokedex and two screens would come up. One screen had details about current moves and the other about moves her Pokemon could learn currently.

It was a difficult process to understand, but she suspected that every Pokemon knew their moves. They just had to be at a certain level to be able to use it. Staravia nodded, and began to glow a deep shade of red then jumped into the air, circling high above the Scyther.

"So your Pokemon evolved. It still won't be strong enough to defeat my Scyther. Even though it's my last Pokemon, Bug Pokemon are tough! Scyther, use Quick Attack!" Scyther dashed forward, moving so fast it was just a blur to Lyra's eyes. But to Staravia's eyes, Scyther might as well have been walking. The avian evaded the attack and retaliated with a Wing Attack which did major damage to the speedy bug.

Scyther took a few steps backwards, hunched over panting. Bugsy looked worried now. Lyra caught him wiping sweat beads of his forehead. "Hang in there! Just a little more!" he cried out. Scyther stood up straight, but Lyra could see the noticeable signs of exhaustion in the Pokemon's eyes and forced posture. Just one more hit, she thought. "Scyther, use U-Turn!"

Curling itself up into a ball, the Scyther threw itself forward. "Staravia, counter-attack with Wing Attack!" At least Scyther couldn't swap out with another Pokemon this time, leaving it vulnerable. Scyther's attack hit hard still despite it being in quite a weakened state. Fortunately, Staravia managed to withstand the blow. If she hadn't evolved Lyra knew the avian would've fainted.

The Scyther returned to its position. Staravia counter-attacked. As Lyra had expected, her attack was enough to take down the Scyther thus winning her the match. Scyther remained still, swaying slightly then fell forward landing face-first. Lyra jumped into the air. "I did it!" she cheered. Staravia stretched her wings out and danced around in a circle.

Bugsy retrieved his fainted Scyther, said something Lyra's ears didn't catch then hurried over to congratulate Lyra on winning the battle. "Whoa, amazing! You're an expert on Pokemon! My research isn't complete yet. Ok, you win. Take this Badge." He reached down into the pockets of his shorts and handed Lyra a red and black circular badge. It looked a bit like a Ledyba's back now that Lyra thought about it. The badge had three black dots and a mostly red background except for the top which was also black.

"Thanks," she said, adding the badge to her growing collection.

"Do you know the benefits of the Hive Badge? If you have a Pokemon that knows Cut, you will be able to use it outside of battle too. Here, I also want you to have this." He reached down into a different pocket and pulled out a small bottle of greenish liquid. "This contains U-turn. It lets your Pokemon attack then switches with the next Pokemon in your party. Isn't that great? Bug-type Pokemon are deep. There are many mysteries to explore. Study your top choices thoroughly."

"I'll keep that in mind," Lyra replied, giving the leader a handshake.

"I know you'll go far. Your next stop should be Goldenrod City. To get there you have to travel through Ilex Forest. You'll need Cut though, so make sure one of your Pokemon knows the move." He waved his goodbyes as Lyra hopped back onto a Spinarak kart. Two gyms down and only six more to go. She exited the gym.

Lyra wasn't exactly sure where to find the move Cut – none of her Pokemon could learn it, and she hadn't spotted the potion available in store. When she asked the people in the city they simply looked a little confused and told her to ask the Charcoal Man. She sought the Charcoal Man out but he wasn't at home. Was he hiding in Ilex Forest? There didn't seem to be anything else she could do here.

But first, she was going to pay the Pokemon Centre and Poke Mart a much needed visit. As she headed towards the Pokemon Centre, a lady wearing a kimono dress approached her. She did not look like the other lady she had seen in the Slowpoke Well, although the girls did share similar features. Black hair tied up in a bun, the same eye shape, the same jaw structure…

"You defeated your second gym leader… I thought you might have gotten lucky getting past Falkner… but defeating Bugsy as well…" The Kimono Girl rubbed her jaw, looking Lyra up and down. "Such dedication… such skill for one so inexperienced… Is it possible?"

"What are you talking about?"

The Kimono Girl ignored her. "A pure heart… perhaps… she is the one…" A soft smile crossed her face. "We will meet again." Before Lyra could ask any more questions, the Kimono Girl walked away. _Weird,_ thought Lyra. That was the second Kimono Girl that approached her in the same strange manner, as if she were special or something. Pushing her thoughts aside, Lyra entered the Poke Mart.

.

A couple of hours had passed since Lyra had entered the Poke Mart. It was amazing how quickly time flew by when shopping for items. Lyra purchased ten potions, a couple of status healing potions and a few more pokeballs and placed them in her bag. Her bag was so full now she could barely fit it on her back. The mysterious Pokemon egg was still in there. She thought about storing it in her Pokemon Storage Box at the Pokemon Centre, but it didn't feel right parting with it.

Exiting the building, she stepped back outside and took in a deep breath. Bugsy had mentioned Goldenrod City was her next destination and to get there she needed to pass through Ilex Forest. Perhaps the Charcoal Man was hiding somewhere in the forest.

She made way for the forest, her stomach muscles tightening as she neared it. Stopping at the boundary, she arched her neck back and gazed at the entrance. It looked unfriendly and extremely quiet. The absence of birdsong sent a shudder down her spine. _What kind of creepy Pokemon lived in here,_ she thought.

Taking in another mouthful of air to calm her nerves, Lyra stepped inside the forest, her loyal band of three Pokemon tagging behind her. Gible remained in her pokeball this time – she couldn't afford to lose such a precious Pokemon inside the forest again. Croconaw and Bagon flanked her sides while Staravia remained a few steps ahead. The Pokemon's sharp eyes were needed in this situation.

Sweat beads formed on her head. The humidity of the forest was unbelievable. She felt as if she had just taken a really steaming hot bath. Her clothes clung to her skin, as if they had suddenly become a part of her body. Disgusting. What she wouldn't give for nice cool bath right now… As she ventured further into the forest, she couldn't shake off the feeling she was being watched. Every few steps she would stop to dart her eyes at a nearby bush or tree, as if expecting an ambush of some sort. Beady little eyes peered at her through the vegetation. Not human eyes fortunately, but eyes belonging to various Bug-type Pokemon.

"Oh no, this is such a disaster! The boss is going to be so mad when he finds out!"

The distraught voice of an anxious man caught Lyra's attention. Someone was in trouble. Following the source of the voice, she walked ahead ignoring the peering at her. There was a man dressed in a white coat pacing back and forth, muttering. "Can I help you?" Lyra asked, stepping forward with great caution.

The man stopped, turned around and rushed over to her. "You… you are a trainer! Please help me! I was supposed to be taking my boss' Farfetch'd for a stroll in the woods but they got spooked and they ran away before I could do anything! You must help me find them, please!" he begged, looking at her with pleading eyes.

 _Well, that was a little irresponsible,_ she thought. "How can I help?"

"The Farfetch'd are roaming around the forest. You just have to approach them from behind and throw their pokeballs at them. But make sure you come from behind – they get spooked easily and if see they see you coming, they will run deeper into the forest," the man said, giving Lyra two pokeballs. "Please don't take too long. I don't want to be here when the sun comes down." A visible shudder raced down his spine.

That was understandable. Lyra didn't want to be stuck here in Ilex Forest at night either. "All right, I'll do my best."

The man smiled. "Thank you so much! You won't regret this."

"Before I go, can you tell me what they look like?"

"You won't miss them. They're the only two birds in the forest."

She thanked him again. Moving away from the panicking man, Lyra walked further into the forest, cautiously navigating through the undergrowth. Cobwebs surrounded her, hanging down from many low branches. Walking into one wasn't something she wanted to experience so she made sure she walked slowly.

There! Up head! A tiny brown avian! The bird Pokemon was sitting on the grass, holding a miniature stick in its right wing. Lyra crept towards it, after telling her Pokemon to remain in place. "Please stay still," she whispered, clutching the pokeball in her hand. The bird seemed unaware of her presence, seeming more fascinated by its stick.

She crept closer still, now only a few metres away from the oblivious bird. Raising her hand, she pulled back her arm then brought it forward, releasing the ball. The ball sailed through the air and hit the bird's back then bounced off, lying on the ground, the Farfetch'd back inside. _That was relatively easy,_ she thought.

Venturing deeper into the forest, Lyra was surprised to find this section was more active than the previous area. It was also much darker, but no dark she felt like she was in the Dark Cave again. She spotted Spinaraks running across branches, crossing the joint webs between different trees. A group of Caterpie were battling against a group of Weedle over some fallen leaves. Metapod and Kakuna hung down from branches, unmoving. She even spotted a few Zubat hanging from some of trees choked by thick vines.

She kept moving forward paying attention to the large amounts of Pokemon around her. It was tempting to catch a few, but there were so many present she was worried she'd anger the entire forest population. Bagon and Croconaw wondered over to a fallen tree to investigate a fallen Kakuna. Lyra followed closely behind a little more cautiously than her Pokemon. Gible shook in his pokeball, eager to get out.

Reaching down to her belt, she pulled out her Gible's pokeball and looked down at it. "Promise you won't be naughty, all right?" The pokeball shook again. It was a risk releasing Gible into such a risky forest, but keeping him inside while the others got to roam free was unfair. She summoned Gible. Gible immediately ran over to join his other friends.

Croconaw touched the fallen Kakuna with his tail. Gible prodded it with his stubby little arms. Bagon sniffed the Kakuna and pushed it with its nose. The Kakuna did not move at all. Was it even still alive? Or had it somehow gotten injured when the tree had fallen? Lyra walked over to the tree, stopping a few feet away from it. There was an opening in the trunk where the Kakuna had fallen. She dropped to her knees and peered inside, coming face to face with a Paras.

A Paras could learn Cut. It had the pincers after all. "Bagon, use Bite!" Bagon jumped forward to attack the Paras, but Gible attacked instead, pushing the other baby dragon out of the way. The Paras winced as it was struck and hid deeper into the trunk. Gible stuck its head in the trunk, trying to get at the Paras.

"Gible!"

Once Gible heard his name, he stopped moving. He tried to pull himself out but found he couldn't. His massive jaw had gotten stuck in the smaller hole. Gible panicked and frantically started to move. Gible repeated his name several times over, becoming more agitated with each passing second. Lyra placed her arms around Gible's waist and did her best to pull him out. Noticing Lyra's struggle, Croconaw and Bagon assisted, tugging Lyra back.

She clenched her teeth, planting her feet firmly into the ground, pulling with all her might. Eventually, their combined effort freed the Gible from its stuck position. They tumbled backwards onto the grass. "Gible!" Lyra scolded, glaring at her sulky dragon. Gible lowered his head, sulking. "How can I let you out of your pokeball if you get yourself into situations like that?" she added, in a gentler tone.

The disciplinary session came to an abrupt halt. In the corner of her eye she spotted the fallen Kakuna shaking back and forth. Evolution time. She glanced up and spotted some of the other Kakunas shaking. "Run!" she exclaimed sprinting forward, stopping only once to ensure her Pokemon were following behind her. They were. The Paras that had been hiding was also on the run. It was a little injured though so it was fleeing at a much slower pace.

Lyra stopped, turned back and threw a pokeball at the Paras. The ball rocked to the left, then right then to the left again and paused for three seconds. The Paras remained inside. There was no time for celebration though - she could hear the sounds of angry Beedrills in the background. She continued heading forward until she heard some soft chirping sounds.

It just had to be another Farfetch'd. The avian glanced back in her direction, prompting Lyra to duck behind a bush. Parting the leaves, Lyra peered through the open hole, spying on the Farfetch'd. The Pokemon was looking in a different direction now. Slowly, she rose from behind the bushes, fingers clasping the Farfetch'd pokeball. She counted to three seconds before throwing the ball.

The Farfetch'd returned to its pokeball. Lyra sighed with relief. _Thank goodness for that,_ she backtracked her steps, returning to the place where the Kakuna had fallen. There were no Beedrills around anymore, but she knew they were there somewhere in the forest, searching for the trainer that had disrupted their peace. Without wasting more time, she continued retracing her steps until she found the man who had lost the Farfetch'd. "I found the Farfetch'd," she said, returning the balls to the man.

He took them back eagerly, throwing them both onto the ground, summoning the two birds. "You actually managed to find them… thank you so much for doing this! Oh, here is the boss!"

Another adult man walked towards her, wearing a round sun hat. "Ah, my Farfetch'd. I take it you lost them again?" he said, glancing at the other man's relieved expression. "Nevermind. The important thing is that this trainer found them. For your efforts, I want to give you this move, Cut. Teach it to one of your Pokemon and you'll be able to cut down the vines blocking the path to Goldenrod. Thanks again! You did me a real favour!" The two men left, retreating back to Azalea Town.

Lyra was pleased she was able to move forward now and put this behind her. She summoned her Paras and gave the Pokemon the potion containing Cut. The Pokemon lapped it up eagerly, seeming to enjoy the taste. "You're local to this forest. Could you lead us to the vines?" Paras nodded and headed back towards the fallen tree. There were still no signs of the Beedrill around, so they continued moving forwards, returning to where the second Farfetch'd was.

Paras veered to the left, then moved north towards a mass clump of vines blocking a path. "Okay, Paras. Use Cut on those vines!" Lyra ordered.

Her new Pokemon leapt forward, snipping the vines with its pincers. It didn't take long for the Paras to cut down all the vines allowing Lyra and her other Pokemon to move through. Once they reached the other side, Lyra found another kimono girl standing a few feet away. The lady was walking around in circles, murmuring to herself, a troubled expression on her delicate face.

"Do you need any help?" Lyra called out.

The lady turned around. "Oh, a Pokemon trainer! I was taking a stroll through the forest and I accidentally took a wrong turn. I do not know which direction to take to leave this place. Do you know where to go?"

Lyra shook her head. "I've never been here before," she admitted.

"Then we are both lost." Paras waved its pincers in the air. The kimono girl looked down with raised eyebrows. "Oh? What's this? You know where the exit is? What a smart Pokemon!" she gushed. Paras led the kimono girl to the furthest path on the left, Lyra following close behind. "You were willing to show a stranger the way out of the forest… what kindness… will it be enough though?"

"I don't understand what you are talking about," Lyra said.

"All will be explained in due time, dear girl. But I must depart this place and seek out my sisters. Thank you again for your kindness." She bowed gracefully, and left the forest. Lyra was quite prepared to leave herself when she saw a mass group of trees shaking nearby. She decided to investigate.

It wasn't a Pokemon causing the trees to shake; in fact, it was a rather solid man shaking them, simply by ramming into the tree with his head. What the heck? Lyra thought, rushing over to check if the man was all right. Perhaps he was mad? "What are you doing?" she called out.

The man looked up, wiped his mouth with the back palm of his hand, and gave her a cheeky grin. "It's a move called Headbutt. It's a great move that has uses both during and outside battle. If you see a Pokemon hiding up in a tree, use Headbutt and it'll fall down so you can capture it. Here, show me one of your Pokemon and I'll teach it the move."

Well, that sounded like a useful move. "I would like you to teach Bagon." Bagon needed another decent move aside from Bite anyway.

"All right then, just give him this potion and your Bagon will know how to use Headbutt in its next battle! If you have any other Pokemon you'd like to learn this move, come back and see me!" He rammed into the tree again. Lyra shook her head and moved away, heading towards the exit. Some people were just plain crazy.


	11. Goldenrod City

Thanks to mestwendyfan for reviewing the previous chapter

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 **Chapter Ten: Goldenrod City**

The road to Goldenrod City seemed so close, yet so far away. What looked like week's journey travel on map actually took about a month to reach. It was night time now and weariness had gripped her mind and body. All she wanted to do was lay down and get a good night of sleep, but she couldn't do that out here in the open. She forced herself to keep moving, her tired Pokemon lagging behind. Bagon suddenly collapsed from weariness, prompting Lyra to recall all her Pokemon back to their pokeballs.

She continued moving forward, fighting hard to keep her eyes open. A yawn escaped her throat as she trudged forward at snail pace, hoping the Goldenrod entrance gates were not too far away. She lifted her weary head and spotted a house with a red roof just a couple of metres away from where she was standing. There was an elderly man with thin white hair, standing outside.

"Lyra, dear girl! Please come over!"

Lyra raised an eyebrow. Who was this old man? And how did he know her name? Cautiously, she walked over. "Um, hello?"

"Don't you recognize me? I'm Ethan's grandfather!" The old man squinted.

Embarrassment flooded Lyra's face. "Oh! I'm sorry," she blurted. "I didn't recognize you…"

The old man smiled, giving a hearty laugh. "No need to apologize, I was just joking with you. It has been a long time. I last saw you when you were just three years old."

"Grandpa!"

Lyra turned to the front door of the house and found her old childhood friend Ethan standing there with his Marill. The Marill had a few dirt patches over its white belly and Lyra wondered exactly where Ethan had spent the past few days at. He turned to her now, giving his friend a broad smile. Lyra welcomed her friend with a warm embrace. It felt good to be around someone she knew. "Ethan, so glad to see you again!" she said, stifling a yawn.

He hugged her back then pulled away. "You look so much stronger now. I guess you've gotten the first two badges then."

"It wasn't easy, but we persisted," Lyra admitted. She glanced up at the roof. "So what is this place anyway?"

"The Pokemon Day Care Centre," Ethan explained. "Come inside, my grandmother and grandfather can tell you more when we're seated. My grandmother bakes the best apple pie." He headed back inside the house with his grandfather and Lyra followed, closing the door behind her. The three of them sat down at the table where the grandmother was.

"You have grown up so much," Ethan's grandmother said. "I remember when you were just a little girl."

"It has been awhile." She cleared her throat. "Ethan said this is the Day Care Centre."

The grandmother nodded. "Yes. We raise Pokemon here. If you have any Pokemon that you would like to raise you can leave them here. You can leave two Pokemon here at any time. Sometimes they'll even have an egg together."

That reminded her of the egg she was carrying in her backpack. She wondered where the Pokemon's parents were. Or had it been an abandoned egg? "That sounds useful," Lyra said. Although truthfully, she wasn't too keen on leaving any Pokemon behind at the Day Care to be raised. She preferred to do itself. That way, she could grow alongside her Pokemon, rather than have someone else to the hard work. Travelling around the world with inexperienced Pokemon was one of the fun parts about being a trainer.

"Do you have any Pokemon you would raised?" the grandfather said.

Lyra shook her head. "Not at the moment, but if I do, I'll be sure to come here," she said politely. "Have you had anyone recently use your services?"

The grandparents exchanged looks until the grandmother responded. "A boy came here a couple of days ago. He had long red hair and a cruel smirk on his face. He gave us a Zubat to raise and he didn't want it back until it had reached a certain level," she said, shaking her head sadly. "It saddens me there are trainers in the world that do not appreciate their Pokemon."

"The look in his eyes... I have never seen so much hatred. I was reminded of Team Rocket," the grandfather said. "The boy did pay us though so we had no choice but to raise his Pokemon to his desired level."

 _Silver._ Lyra's fingers curled, digging into the skin on her knees. It had been quite a few days since she last encountered him. She wasn't surprised that he was ahead of her. She wondered if he had struggled against Falkner and Bugsy as much as she had. "I've seen that boy."

"He's the one who stole the Chikorita from the lab," Ethan explained. He turned sideways, facing Lyra. "You need to be careful around him, Lyra. There's no telling what he's capable of doing." He reached down into his bag and pulled out his Xtransceiver. "But we're not here to talk about the thief. I forgot to give you my number."

"All right then," Lyra replied. In the corner of Lyra's eye, she spotted the grandmother smiling. Ethan must have noticed as well because he was looking at her.

"She's my friend, grandma. You know that."

The grandmother's smile widened. "Girl… friend?" she teased.

Ethan's face turned a deep shade of red. Lyra was sure her face was bright red as well. "We're not a couple," Lyra blurted out at the same time as Ethan. Ethan was her childhood friend. There was no way she could ever look at him as a romantic partner. That was just… ridiculous!

"Trainers exchange numbers all the time, grandma. It's what we do," Ethan quickly replied, his ears red.

His grandparents laughed. "We know."

Ethan grumbled, glancing down at the hands in his lap. He fumbled around with his Xtransceiver and asked Lyra for her number. She entered his details into her Xtransceiver as well so she could contact him at any time she needed some help. Why she hadn't done this before she did not know. The idea must've slipped her mind due to the excitement of beginning her own quest to become Champion.

"You should stay here for the night. Goldenrod is all packed out at the moment. A lot of people are coming over from all the cities in Johto to watch Marina perform this weekend," Ethan explained.

"That sounds like a good idea," Lyra replied, yawning once again.

"I guess that means you'll miss out on my apple pie," the grandmother said.

"Sorry," Lyra replied sheepishly. "I'm so tired… it's been a busy past few days." And so it had. Defeating Team Rocket at the Slowpoke Well. Catching and trading Pokemon. Battling Falkner and Bugsy. Surviving Ilex Forest. It was hard to believe only a few days had passed since she had departed on her journey. It felt like a lifetime.

"Just walk behind the desk and enter through the doors. You'll find some beds in there," the grandfather said. "Sleep well, Lyra."

.

Goldenrod was a magnificent city. Tall buildings towered above her, so high it seemed they could reach the clouds. The streets were wide and packed with people of all ages and genders. She spotted a lady with a pram reading her child a story to her left and an elderly couple chatting with some kids to her right. The cities, well more like towns, that she had passed by seemed so miniscule in comparison.

She didn't know where to begin. There was so much to do here. Reaching Goldenrod had been a short, yet difficult walk. A couple of trainers tried to prevent her from passing through and they used Pokemon she had never battled against before. Fortunately, her team had been strong enough to defeat them.

But now they needed some healing again. Instead of wasting potions, Lyra took advantage of the Pokemon Centre. Now she was back in the busy streets of Goldenrod trying to figure out where to go next. She headed over to the city map and examined it closely. "Goldenrod Department Store. Goldenrod Game Corner. Radio Tower. Magnet Train Station. The Global Terminal. Bicycle Shop. Pokemon Salon. Herbalist. Discount Item Shop. Goldenrod City Gym," she read aloud.

Each of the buildings sounded like interesting places to visit. It was tempting to just spend a couple of days here enjoying the sights, but she knew taking the gym on was her top priority. But surely it wouldn't hurt just to spend a couple of hours here? Her Pokemon deserved a rest. She wanted to relax a little.

"Just ahead. Pokeathlon Dome and National Park," she read further. Those locations also sounded interesting. "All right, that's it. I've made my mind up. I'm going to spend a couple of days here," she said, speaking to her Toto. The Pokemon glanced up giving Lyra a wide toothy grin. It would be good just to sit back and take a short break from all the battling. Besides, a short holiday could do wonders.

She decided to visit the Radio Tower first. Upon entering, her eyes were immediately drawn to a pink haired girl lounging near the counter. The girl seemed to be pretty pleased about something as she had a triumphant grin on her face. Was she a gym leader? No one else in the city had that colour for hair. From previous experience, gym leaders in Johto liked outrageous hair colours. Lyra walked over and spoke to the girl.

The girl looked at her, sizing Lyra up. "You look tough. I suspect you are here to take on the gym leader of Goldenrod? Well, that's me. I'm Whitney. But you won't be able to enter the gym until you answer the questions. So ask the lady at the counter and tell her you want to take the gym quiz challenge. If you pass, I'll let you in. If you don't pass then you're not worthy to take me on."

 _Wow, what arrogance,_ Lyra thought. Whitney must be pretty tough to make such a bold statement though. She didn't even say hello. Pouting, Lyra walked over to the counter to speak to the assistant lady. Before she could open her mouth, the lady spoke. "You're here to take the quiz right?"

Lyra nodded.

"Here is the first question. Can you check the town map with your Pokegear?"

 _Er,_ she thought. She wasn't so sure. She had received the town map from that dragon guy, but hadn't actually checked if she could view it on her Pokegear. She suspected she could though. There was probably an app she had to install to make it work. "Yes."

"Correct! Okay, second question. Nidorina can only be female. True?"

Again, another difficult question she didn't know the answer to. "Nidorina…" she said slowly, trying out the words. It sounded feminine. "Yes?"

"Correct again! Question three. Kurt, the pokeball creator, uses apricots as ingredients?"

Having recently met Kurt, Lyra felt she should know the answer. But she didn't. She didn't talk to Kurt about apricots; they had spoken of Red instead. The two answers had both been yes so far though. This had to be a no for an answer. "No."

The woman blinked, surprised. "Well done, not many trainers can answer that correctly on their first try. Question four. It's impossible to use a technical move on Magikarp. True?"

Magikarp. She knew what that was. A giant useless fish. Her dad used to go fishing sometimes down at the ocean. Magikarps were incapable of using any other move than Tackle and Splash. "Yes," she answered.

"And finally, in Professor Oak's popular show, Pokemon Talk, is he on with Marie?"

Professor Oak had his own show? Was there anything the man could not do? She didn't often watch a lot of television so this was another one of those times she just had to guess. "No?" she said lightly, hoping it was the correct answer.

"Well done! You passed the test. You may have the Radio Card. This will allow you to listen to the various stations we play here in Goldenrod. You can access the radio through your Pokegear," said the lady, giving Lyra a chip. Lyra took it and placed it in her bag then turned around.

"I can't believe you passed the test! Even I got it wrong on my first try," the girl whined, crossing her arms over her chest. "I guess that means you're going to give me a good challenge then. I'll be waiting for you at the gym… farm girl." The girl skipped away leaving a confused Lyra standing still. What an odd character. Whitney looked too 'innocent' and 'girly' to be a gym leader.

Speaking of girly, Lyra figured it was about time to update her look. She didn't want to be called farm girl again. So she hurried over to the Goldenrod Department Store and went inside looking for a cute outfit. There were no signs of overalls available at all. It seemed they were out of fashion in this part of the region.

"Do you need any help?" a lady asked, long blonde locks falling down her back. Bright green eyes fixed on Lyra's face.

"Erm, I'm just looking to update my look, that's all," Lyra replied.

The lady stood back, looking Lyra up and down. She rubbed her chin thoughtfully. "You are a trainer, yes?"

Lyra nodded. "Yup."

"Let me think… those overalls you are wearing are doing you no favours… you are a pretty girl… what can bring out the colour of those eyes… no, jeans will not do in this heat… ah!" The lady's eyes lit up. "I know the perfect dress for you! Come with me, please." The lady motioned for Lyra to follow.

 _A dress?_ She didn't wear dresses. She didn't think she even had any back at home. What on earth made the lady think she'd look great in a dress? Nevertheless, she followed the blond assistant to the dresses section. There she found herself looking at a large variety of dresses: there was a pink single-fronted coat dress, a navy blue double-front coat dress, a trench coat dress available in beige and black, a pale pink sundae dress, a pale pink frilly dress, a pink sparkly bolero dress, a little black dress and two black high-waisted outfits. So many choices. It made her head hurt just by looking at them all.

The lady picked out the pink single-front coat dress and handed it to Lyra. "This will look fantastic on you! But you need more. You'll need a matching hat… and you'll need a new bag, new shoes… and a new haircut, pigtails make you look childish."

 _Pigtails weren't childish… were they?_ She remained silent, and nodded. It was about time she updated her look, not wanting to look like a 'farm girl' for a day longer. "I don't need a new hat, bag or accessories…" Lyra said. "I'll just take the dress, the new shoes and the haircut," she added. "I already have a hat and a bag."

"If you insist…" the lady replied, looking a little disappointed. She led Lyra to another part of the store – the barber section. She summoned one of the female hairdressers, a woman with black hair, and pointed at Lyra's brown pigtails. "This girl is a trainer. She needs an updated look if she ever wishes to impress the Champion."

"Oh, I doubt she'll be able to attract _him._ No girl has ever caught his eye."

"Hmm, you are right. But it doesn't stop us women from trying though, does it?" the dark-headed lady replied, laughing.

The blonde touched Lyra's pigtails, pulling on them roughly. "So, what can you do with her hair?"

The other lady looked thoughtful. "Well, her hair is already quite short so there's not much else I can do. I think she could pull off the bob look quite well though." The blonde nodded. "I'll get started straight away then." Lyra's head was soon attacked with scissors, shampoo, conditioner and various other hair products, as the dark haired lady fixed up her hair. Lyra could hardly recognize herself.

"Oh you look so cute!" The blonde gushed.

"I think even the Champion might have trouble averting his eyes."

"At least she doesn't look like she belongs on the farm anymore."

"You may stand now." Lyra stood up. "For the haircut and the dress, it's going to cost you four thousand dollars."

Lyra's stomach did a back flip. Four thousand dollars? That was a lot of money for a dress, some new shoes and a haircut. Fortunately, she had the right amount of cash… but she'd have nothing left over except for a can of beans. Somehow, she needed to earn some more cash aside from battling trainers. She pulled out her bag, dug out her remaining cash and handed it to the women.

Once that was done, Lyra changed into her new clothes, giving the women her old ones for them to discard. She exited the store, occasionally pausing to adjust her dress. The dress' hemline ended just above her knees. She felt so vulnerable like this. Was anyone going to take her as a serious trainer in this outfit?

Only one way to find out. She left the shop, flattened her dress again and walked around the streets again, walking in a random direction. Heads turned to look at her in a way she had never been looked at before. Now this was certainly uncomfortable. Fortunately, for her sake, people stopped looking in her direction, returning back to their activities. Lyra sighed and made her way to the north where the Pokeathlon and National Park were. But to get there she had to pass through Route 35. As with the other routes, she knew there were going to be quite a number of trainers hoping to defeat her.

She summoned her Toto and set foot on Route 35, her mouth pressed into a thin line of determination.

.

After a long road of battling numerous trainers and dodging wild Pokemon, Lyra finally reached the entrance to the Pokeathlon Dome. It was a difficult miss – the building was far larger than any other she had seen. All the eight gyms in Johto could easily fit inside the massive blue building. There were a couple of trainers mingling outside the Pokeathlon Dome playing with their Pokemon.

Lyra took in a deep breath and took a couple of steps towards the building when she was stopped by an elderly man wearing a dark teal shirt and brown pants. He walked towards her, a tough looking Poliwrath standing behind him. He stopped in front of Lyra and grinned. "Mwa ha ha ha! Hmm. I feel it!" he said, getting right in her face. "The twinkle in your eyes! The twinkle of friendship! You're ready to participate in the Pokeathlon, bud! Most of all, your mutual trust and teamwork with Pokemon makes be believe anything is possible! All right. Follow me, bud!"

He motioned for Lyra to come closer towards the entrance of the building. Being this close made her realize just how impressive the structure was. It must have taken many long years for this to be built. "Wow," she gasped.

"What do you think? This is the Pokeathlon Dome! Pokeathlon is a sports festival for trainers and Pokemon! Inside the Dome are various challengers awaiting trainers and Pokemon to test their friendship. Why don't you try it? You're amazing, bud! This is a pleasant surprise! To see a Pokeathlete with strong potential is such a pleasure! I'm glad I held the Pokeathlon here in Johto…. My name is Magnus. We shall meet again, bud. See you, young Pokeathlete!" He disappeared inside the building.

Curious to learn more about this place, Lyra stepped inside the building and was immediately blown away by the interior. There were pot plants scattered around the floor, but it was the jumping glowing lights that caught her interest. They stretched across the navy blue floor giving the place a lively feel. Lyra even noticed that some areas of the floor lit up. A true state-of-the-art facility.

There were three counters in the building. Lyra wasn't sure which one was which so she just headed towards the middle one where two ladies with cotton candy hair waited. She approached the lady on the right. "Hello," Lyra started.

The lady beamed a bright smile. "Welcome! This is the reception for admission. Will you try the Pokeathlon?"

"Can you tell me more about this place?"

"Certainly. The Pokeathlon is a sports festival in which you and three Pokemon compete in three events. The Pokeathlon has a variety of events to accommodate different aspects of Pokemon. Please join us with three Pokemon!"

This was something she just had to try. "I would like to participate!"

"Which course would you like to try?"

"I'll try the Power course."

"Please come this way," the lady said, motioning for Lyra to step through the gates. "The Pokeathlon will begin right now. Your team colour is red. Good luck!" she added, as Lyra walked through the main door. Once she stepped inside, she was greeted to a race course track. In the middle there was a man standing on a raised white platform. Behind him was a giant screen. Lyra looked around and noticed three other trainers standing close by.

"Welcome to the Pokeathlon. Today's event is the Power Course! Who will shine brightest today? Let's meet the competitors! Team Lyra with a Croconaw, Gible and Staravia. The second competitor is Team Yona with a Swinub, Phanpy and Machop! The third competitor is Team Mac with Tauros, Aipom and Snubbull! And finally we have Team Aven with a Clefairy, Jigglypuff and Pikachu! All right, we're ready! Aim for the top! Let's Pokeathlon!"

Lyra sucked in another mouthful of air, ignoring the looks the other trainers were giving her. They all appeared to be dressed in athletic clothing and here she was wearing a dress. She glanced up at the giant screen. The words Block Smash – Fight Dome appeared. Sounded tough, she thought as she followed the other competitors to the Fighting Dome.

She was led to a large pile of blocks. "You have ten seconds to destroy as many blocks as you can!" the announcer said. Toto stepped forward. "Switch out when your Pokemon tires. Three… two… one…Go!" As soon as the buzzer went off, Toto slammed his tail down onto the blocks as fast as he could. She hoped this was making her Pokemon her stronger because it certainly looked rather painful. After five blocks were destroyed, she switched out for her Gible. Gible bit down on the blocks, chewing through them as if they were paper. He managed to destroy five blocks before tiring. Lyra brought out Staravia, who managed to destroy four.

A bell rang indicating the end of the round. Lyra turned around to see the results on the scoreboard and was a little disappointed that she had come second last. The top score had been twenty achieved by Team Yona. "Perhaps I'll do better in event two," she whispered. Although it didn't really matter. She was a trainer, not a poke athlete anyway. This was more for fun than anything else.

She headed off to the next area which looked like some ice skating rink. Large hoops were placed on the rink, each one a different size and colour. Some were rather small, only able to fit in three Pokemon, and some of the hoops were so large at least ten Pokemon could fit. Judging by the name of the event, 'Circle Push', Lyra had a feeling it involved pushing Pokemon out of circles.

"Welcome to Event Two, Circle Push! There will be three rounds. You will be required to keep your Pokemon inside a circle until the timer runs down. The smaller the circle, the more points you earn. Are you ready, poke athletes? Three… two… one… Go!"

Lyra's three Pokemon jumped onto the rink and hurried over to the largest circles they could find. All the other Pokemon also hurried there. Croconaw pushed a few of the smaller Pokemon out of the way, but Gible wasn't as lucky, getting shoved out of the circle. Staravia too, got pushed out. The same cycle repeated for the next two rounds with Lyra only managing to reach a score of ten points, coming last in the event. The highest score of twenty five went to Team Mac. Toto, Staravia and Gible looked disappointed with themselves as they made their way back to their trainer.

Lyra knelt down and gave them each a head rub. "Don't be sad. I know you are giving it your best. It doesn't matter if we come last," she said reassuringly. The expressions on her Pokemon's faces seemed to brighten a little as they made their way over to the final area. This one was designed like a human soccer field, except there were four goals instead of two. It was also much smaller.

"Welcome to the third and final event of the Power Course. This is Goal Roll! You have two minutes to score as many goals as you can, but if you kick the ball into your own, you'll lose a point. Three… two… one… Go!" Immediately, the soccer field turned into a war field. Pokemon from all different corners rushed towards the ball, while the trainers looked on worried. Lyra was concerned – the other three trainers were shouting orders.

"Knock him out of the way Tauros!"

"Don't let him knock you down, Machop!"

"Clefairy! Take all your opponents down!"

Even human soccer matches weren't this intense. Lyra was concerned about her Gible who was so much smaller than all the rest. Gible struggled to keep up with the other Pokemon, but tried very hard to impress Lyra. Staravia was tackled to the ground, losing a handful of feathers in the process. The avian squawked. Croconaw tried to defend his teammates, but was overpowered by the combined power teams of his opponents.

The other Pokemon were pushing so hard, Lyra wondered if they were on the Pokemon equivalent of human steroids. Outmatched and outpowered, Lyra's team succumbed to a loss in the negatives. Negative four. The match was won by Team Mac who managed to score three goals. Lyra's disheartened and broken team, returned to Lyra with their heads down.

"We might lose to them on the athletic field, but we can defeat them in a battle," Lyra said, rubbing a spot beneath Staravia's beak. "I'm proud of all of you. Now, what do you say we pay Whitney a little visit at the gym?" The word 'gym' immediately made her Pokemon look much happier. Lyra chuckled. "Come on then, let's go and earn our third badge."


	12. Cry of the Dragons

Thanks to Paige McCarthy and mestwendyfan for reviewing the previous chapter. Also, want to point you in the direction of Ravaged World, the second story in this trilogy. you'll need to understand story two if you want to understand the third story.

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 **Chapter Eleven: Cry of the Dragons**

Blackthorn City was in chaos. The lake in front of the Dragon's Den had flooded, forcing water down the slope and into the homes of the locals. The grounds were so wet several areas had to be roped off to the public because they were far too dangerous to cross. Every shop had two police officers standing guard and even some of the homes were protected. The word of stolen Shiny Dratini spread around the city like wildfire, prompting many of the locals to remain indoors. And that wasn't the worst of it. The rains continued to pour, growing in intensity with each passing day. If this continued it wouldn't be much longer until people were forced to evacuate.

Lance climbed off his Dragonite and headed inside the Dragon's Den in search for his cousin, Clair. He found her at the entrance pacing back and forth, a troubled expression on her face. "You certainly took your time," she said sourly, shooting him an accusing look. "I guess talking to your special fans is more important than finding the Dratini."

"I didn't have a choice, Marina stopped me before I could escape," Lance replied, defensively. "I'm here now anyway, so drop your accusations."

Clair's accusing look remained, but she explained the situation. "It happened a few days ago after I left you in Azalea Town. Someone destroyed the local Poke Mart and that same person stole the Dratini from inside the den. Would I be wrong to assume Team Rocket are behind it? I looked at grandfather's drawings while he was asleep."

Lance nodded. "It would make a lot of sense. They're after something… and they're not going to stop until they get whatever it is they seek."

"World domination, what else could they want? Same evil just with a different face," Clair replied, throwing her ponytail over her shoulder. "I don't understand why they would want a Shiny Dratini though."

Lance was thoughtful. Team Rocket members in the Slowpoke Well were cutting the tails off the Pokemon. There were also Team Rocket members messing around with the radio signals which were causing Pokemon to evolve at much earlier levels than normal. Whatever the end goal was, Team Rocket was certainly doing a good job of covering it up. No wonder no one had noticed any suspicious behaviour. If it weren't for his grandfather's visions, then he would not have known about it either until it was too late. "Ultimate power. Dragons are sacred and mythical creatures. There's no other type that can match up to the offensive power of a dragon."

"But why a Shiny Dratini? I didn't think pink was their colour."

"Perhaps they are under the impression a Shiny Dratini has more power than a normal one," Lance explained, running a hand through his hair. "Whatever they want from Dratini, their intentions can't be good." He strode towards the edge of the Dragon's Den pool of water then stopped to look back at Clair. "Rally your gym trainers. We need to be prepared for Team Rocket's next move." Dragonite jumped into the water. Lance climbed on and Dragonite swum across to the other side.

"I hope you have a plan," Clair called out from across the lake.

He didn't actually, but Clair didn't need to know that. He needed to keep her occupied so she'd stay out of the Team Rocket business. "Trust me," he replied, not meeting Clair's eyes. He heard Clair's retreating footsteps. Once she was gone, he made his way inside their house and found his grandfather leaning against a wall, panting slightly.

The man looked like he had seen ghost. He was trembling, his face ashen white. Quite a different sight from the last time they talked. Lance knelt down beside him, looking into his grandfather's eyes. "Lance?" the man gasped, lifting a shaking hand. "Is that you?"

"I'm here," Lance replied.

The man breathed a sigh of relief, smiling slightly. "The… Dratini… she's gone…" He coughed weakly. The entire episode with the Team Rocket grunt had caused the man a great deal of grief.

"I'll find her. I swear on it," he said darkly.

Edward coughed again. "You must… not be reckless…"

"I'll do whatever it takes to bring the Shiny Dratini back to its rightful home," Lance replied, snarling the response. He was the Champion – so why did his grandfather continue to treat him like he wasn't? He was treated better than Clair, but Lance sometimes got the feeling his grandfather was disappointed with him.

"You failed to drive Team Rocket out of Azalea Town."

Lance held back a bitter response. "Did one of your 'visions' reveal that to you?" he said sarcastically. Great. Now he was starting sound like Clair. "Clair called me to come here and I assume she did so on the behalf of your request. Did you summon me here just so you could doubt me? Or is this just another one of your tests?" He gave a sardonic laugh. It was a well known fact the man enjoyed putting his students through a series of tough quests to learn whether or not, they had what it took to be a Dragon Master. So far, only he had been the one to pass.

But this wasn't a test about being a Dragon Master. It was something else. Something deeper than that. He couldn't quite figure out what that was exactly, but he hoped to find out soon. His grandfather spoke again. "Time is running short… I need to know that you… are fully capable," he replied, taking in deep breaths between each couple of words.

"Capable of what? Defeating Team Rocket? Bringing back the Shiny Dratini?" he asked, dubious. "Haven't we been through this already?"

Edward leaned back into the wall, closing his eyes, exhaling gently. "It is no secret that my time is running short on this world…" he said softly, eyes staring up at Lance. "Promise me… you will look after Lyra."

Lance drew back, confused. "Saving the Dratini is more important than her." Angry heat poured through him. "Are you implying Lyra is more important than the symbol of our clan?" Lance suddenly found his grandfather's hands gripping his right arm. For an old guy, he certainly had quite a firm grip.

"I've seen it in my visions… she is the light in the darkness."

Nonsense! Complete utter nonsense! The Team Rocket grunt had done more than just scare the old man. He had messed with the man's head filling it with foolishness. "So the girl managed to drive off Team Rocket from Azalea Town. That doesn't mean she's the saviour of our region," he retorted, sounding more like Clair with each passing second. He didn't doubt the girl had some skill; she was already showing signs of being one of the region's greatest trainers, but to imply she was the region's _only_ saviour? Perhaps this was some cruel joke to teach Lance a lesson.

The old man's grip tightened his hold unrelenting. "Lyra is the light in _your_ darkness."

Lance pried his grandfather's fingers off him. "What are you talking about?"

"I have tried hard to raise you and Clair to be the finest trainers in the region… but both of you are blinded by your own arrogance. I had hoped you would understand better… that power isn't everything. I thought you may have learned something from your… past mistakes…"

A muscle jerked in his jaw. He didn't like being reminded of those 'past mistakes'. "Of course I understand. I'm the only one that passed your test."

"And the Shiny Dratini refused you."

Lance snorted. So what? He didn't want a dragon with pink scales anyway. "I don't see the point in any of this. I could be out there now searching for the Dratini instead of wasting time talking to you." He was well aware that he was pushing the boundaries here – this was his grandfather after all, a well-respected member of the Blackthorn dragon clan. He had never heard anyone say a bad word about the man.

If the townsfolk discovered there was tensions between the Elder and the Champion, word would reach the foreign dragon clans and then there'd be trouble. They'd realize the Blackthorn Clan were weakened would immediate advantage of that.

"Then tell me - why are you still here?"

His mouth tipped ruefully. "I had hoped to find answers. I assumed wrongly."

"You returned because you hoped to prove your own self-worth… by finding the Dratini because Lyra had defeated Team Rocket in Azalea Town… am I not correct?" Lance didn't say anything. His grandfather continued. "As the Champion of this region, you feel honour bound to defend your homeland from evil. When someone else takes that chance away from you… it makes you feel doubt and fear."

His agitation levels were growing. It was taking all of Lance's willpower not to start shouting. "Red gave the title to me to continue his work. He didn't give it to Lyra."

His grandfather paused. "What are you afraid of?" he challenged.

"I'm not afraid of anything." What _did_ he have to be afraid of anyway? He had a powerful team of six fully evolved dragons at his side that would do anything for him if he commanded it.

"Everyone… is afraid of something."

He clenched his hand. "I guess I'm just a special case then," he replied, angry.

Sighing, his grandfather shook his head. "You can argue against me all you wish, but I know you better than anyone else… I know you better than you know yourself. You will keep searching for a way to prove your worth, but you will not find it by pursuing Team Rocket… I see that now.

"You can't stop me."

He shook his head again. "No, I can't."

"Then I'm glad we've come to an understanding." Lance turned around, cape flapping behind him. Returning to Blackthorn to find answers to his questions had been the wrong decision to make. His own grandfather did not believe in him! It hurt like a punch and a kick to the gut. The man placed his faith in a _rookie_ trainer! "You think you know me well… but you don't, and you never will either." He turned around, blood pounding in his head.

"Lance…"

Lance took a step towards the door, then stopped and glanced over his shoulder. "You prefer some girl over me, your own grandson!" A dry laugh left his throat. "Tell me one thing, grandfather. Did you ever believe in me?" His grandfather said nothing. The pain in his stomach worsened, the invisible knife driving deeper, the Elder's silence hurting more than a Dragonite's bite. "You're wrong about her. I don't need her – just like I don't need you."

He exited the house, slamming the door behind him. When he stepped outside the Dragon's Den, he spotted Clair and a handful of Blackthorn Gym trainers standing across the pool of water. Clair looked at him with impatient eyes, tapping her foot on the grass. Her expression was sour. Perhaps the continuous rain was to blame for a bitter face? "Well? Did you have a good talk with grandfather?" Her tone was thick with jealousy.

"I told him I was going to get the Dratini back, no matter what it took."

"Of course. Everything has to be about you, I forgot."

Lance shot her a dark look. "You can't be involved in this Clair. You're a gym leader. Blackthorn City needs you to protect the city. You can't run after the Dratini. I'm doing this alone."

Clair's eyes narrowed almost into slits. He had seen her angry on many occasions, but never this mad. "Fine," she hissed. "Play the hero. That's the only role you're good at it anyway. Oh wait; you can't even do that right." She turned to her gym leaders. "Spread out and guard every entrance to this city. Don't let anyone in and don't let anyone out."

"But what about trainers seeking their eighth badge?" Mike said.

"Trainers are the exception. They need to show their badges before we let them in. Do you understand me?" All her trainers nodded. Clair took in a deep breath and continued. "Team Rocket is back." There were gasps heard from the trainers. She continued. "And they will attack us again. We need to be prepared for the worst," Clair explained. "Well, what are you waiting for? Get into your positions!"

"There goes Clair again…" Some of the trainers rolled their eyes and grumbled, but followed Clair's orders anyway. She was the gym leader after all.

As the gym trainers headed to their stations, Clair turned back to Lance. "Don't even think about returning until you've brought back the Dratini. You've made it pretty clear you don't care about this place. You care more about your title than anything else. Get out of my sight!" she snapped.

Clair was being unreasonable, but he had grown accustomed to her ways. She'd soon realize that she needed him and would ask him back in the near future. She always came back to him so he didn't make much of her response. Once again, he climbed onto his Dragonite. It was time to return to Indigo Plateau to inform the Elite Four trainers he was taking a short vacation, and then he'd pursue his hunt for Team Rocket at the Lake of Rage and hopefully find some answers about the Dratini there.

.

After spending a few long hours battling wild Pokemon for much needed experience points (Lyra counted at least twenty fainted wild Pokemon), Lyra stopped at the Goldenrod Pokemon Centre to rest up her team. Once her Pokemon had a short rest, she made her way to the Goldenrod Gym, thinking about the types she could possibly face. If the wild Pokemon in the area indicated anything, she was going to be up against either normal-types or psychic-types. What type worked well against normal-types? She had no idea.

She looked down at her team and smiled. The four Pokemon were ready to take on their next real battle after coming last in the power course competition. The loss had hit hard – but losing was just a part of life. She bypassed a couple of kids running up and down the street as she closed the distance to the gym. The closer she came, the more anxious she felt. But, like with losing, feeling nervous before a major battle was normal. "Here we go," she said, leading the way inside the gym, after returning her Pokemon to their balls. She didn't want her opponents to know how to combat her team immediately, after all.

As with every gym, the gym advisor was standing nearby at the entrance. He immediately rushed over to her, greeting her with a warm smile. "Hey there! Can't say I'm surprised to see you here! You did a fine job of taking down Falkner and Bugsy!"

"Thanks," Lyra replied.

"But now you'll be going up against Whitney. Don't let her cute appearance fool you – she's incredibly tough. This is a normal-type gym, so make sure you have a fighting-type with you or a fighting-type move. Good luck, trainer!"

Lyra didn't have a Fighting-type or a Fighting-move with her. For the first time, she would not have the upper advantage. That was a scary thought. She couldn't rely on just one Pokemon to take the battle then. Strategy was equally as important. She looked forward, taking in all her surroundings. The interior of the gym was rather colourful, much like Whitney herself.

The floors had a circle pattern with varying shades of pink and the raised crossable platforms also had a pattern, but they were green instead. There were a few pot plants scattered around the gym, and a few banners hanging off the walls. Lyra noticed the banners had images of rather cute Pokemon on them. She glanced down at her dress. _Well,_ she thought. _At least I'm dressed appropriately_. She made her way up to the first flight of stairs and moved north.

A rather tall girl with a short mini black dress approached her, flicking a strand of her golden brown curls over her shoulder. She batted her eyelashes at Lyra, her eyes taking in the girl's appearance. She turned up her nose, snorting. Lyra briefly wondered if she had accidentally mistaken the gym for a beauty pageant. "I'm Victora, and I'm going to show you that cute Pokemon are powerful!" said the girl. "Senret!"

An adorable chubby Pokemon appeared from its pokeball, sitting on the ground, small black round eyes peering up at Lyra. It looked a bit like a bunny rabbit; the only main difference between the Senret and a typical bunny rabbit was that the Pokemon had a stripy tail twice as long as its body. It also stood on two legs rather than on four. Lyra quickly pulled out her Pokedex.

 _Senret. A very cautious Pokemon, it raises itself up using its tail to get a better view of its surroundings._

"Cute," Lyra said. She summoned her Gible to take the battle. "But cuteness isn't going to help you."

Victoria turned up her nose at the sight of Gible. "Ew, what a hideous creature. I've never seen anything so ugly before and I've seen a lot. That thing can't be from around here, right?"

Lyra felt a surge of anger course through her veins. Who did this trainer think she was criticising a Pokemon's appearance in that manner? "Gible might be ugly to you, but he's adorable in my eyes," she countered, pointing forwards. "Gible, use Dragon Rage!" She wanted to put this girl down as fast as possible after that comment.

"Senret! Use Quick Attack!"

Senret dashed forward. Lyra was surprised that such a chubby creature could move that quickly. Gible was bowled over onto its back, his short limbs and legs wriggling in the air. Victora threw her head back and laughed. "Ugly _and_ weak!" Her laughter was cut short when Dragon Rage hit her Senret, taking it out of the battle.

"Not so weak, right?" Lyra boasted.

"Everyone knows that Dragon Rage is a cheap attack. Why don't you try and fight fairly or can't you do that?"

Now that Lyra thought about, Dragon Rage did seem like a pretty unfair move. It took out a good chunk of a Pokemon's health – it was an excellent move for young dragons to use. She could understand why Victoria didn't like it. "I don't have to rely on Dragon Rage to defeat you anyway. Gible, use Bite!"

Victoria called out her second Senret. "Quick Attack!"

Once again, Senret struck first. Gible had just picked himself up from the floor only to be knocked down again. "Gible, use Bite!" Gible rolled itself back and forth until he gathered enough momentum to push himself back up on his feet. He growled, lunged forward, jaws gnashing at the Senret. Strong jaws latched around Senret's tail, holding the Senret back from attacking.

"Get off him you nasty little beast!" Victoria shrieked. "Use Fury Attack!" Senret spun around, removing its tail from Gible's jaws. It pounced, swatting stubby little arms at the dragon's face. Fury Attack hit three times. Victoria was right about one thing – cute Pokemon could be quite deadly. But cuteness wasn't going to help her win this battle.

"Gible, use Bite again!"

Gible bit down hard on the opponent's tail, this time causing the Senret's eyes to well up in tears. Senret tried to pull its tail free, but was in far too much pain to move. Gible used Bite again, this time succeeding in bringing the Senret down.

"Oh, you meanie! But you won't be so lucky in the next battle! Senret!" Another Senret appeared. Lyra hoped this wasn't going to be like the Sprout Tower all over again where everyone used the same Pokemon. "Senret, strike fast and hit hard with Quick Attack!" Senret obeyed, dashing forward. Gible toppled to the ground, falling on his face.

"Come on, Gible…" Lyra pleaded in a whisper. "I know you can do this." Gible grunted and forced itself up using its massive jaws, as stubby arms were far too short to do anything useful.

"Beauty tames the beast," Victoria said, flicking a dismissively. "You should just give it up."

Lyra gritted her teeth. "I will never give up."

"Senret, Quick Attack!"

"Gible, use Bite again!"

For what seemed like the umpteenth time, Gible fell over onto the ground again, upon being on the receiving end of another Quick Attack. The poor dragon was taking a beating – a physical and mental beating. Lyra wasn't quite sure if Pokemon experienced the range of complex emotions human felt, but surely they experienced emotions of rage, hurt and joy.

But Gible was a determined dragon and wasn't about to quit. He picked himself up and stared the Senret down, lunging forward to take another Bite at his opponent's tail. He bit down hard. Senret screeched, eyes welling up in tears, like the previous Senret before it. And Gible didn't let go. Victoria ordered her Senret to use Fury Attack on the Gible to free itself, but the Senret could not move.

"Finish that Senret off with Dragon Rage!" It wasn't cheap to use Dragon Rage when the Pokemon was already close to fainting. Gible happily obliged, releasing his hold to unleash a mighty purple burst of pure draconic rage. The Senret fainted. Victora's mouth dropped.

"I can't believe that rotten little thing beat my team of cuties…" she murmured.

Lyra moved past the girl, following the path to the east. She kept walking along the raised platform until she reached a flight of stairs leading down. Down below to the south she spotted another trainer to the southern arch way. Hurrying down the stairs, Lyra headed towards the second trainer. This trainer looked similar to Victoria.

"I'm Samantha. My two Meowths' will defeat you!"

Judging by the name, Lyra had a feeling Meowth was a feline. She brought up her Pokedex, waiting for Samantha to summon her Meowth. As Lyra expected, a cute cream-coloured furred feline appeared. She held up her Pokedex to obtain data.

 _Meowth. It is fascinated by round objects. It can't stop playing with them until it tires and falls asleep._

Gible was still eager to fight, so she allowed the dragon to take another battle. Like Victoria, Samantha was repulsed. "I can't believe you'd bring such a gross looking Pokemon into our beautiful gym. I hope he won't drool all over the floor. Go get them, Meowth! Use Fury Swipes!" Fury Swipes was a very similar attack to Fury Attack, Lyra discovered. The cat clawed at Gible's face, but its claws weren't sharp enough to penetrate Gible's tough scales.

"Gible, use Bite!" Gible retaliated jumping forward to clamp its jaws around the Meowth's neck. The feline struggled, clawing away at Gible's face.

"Meowth, use Scratch!" Meowth swiped at Gible's eyes, forcing Gible to drop the cat promptly. Meowth leapt out of the way, hissing.

"Gible's don't know Bite!" Samantha pointed out.

Lyra shrugged. "Mine does. Finish Meowth off with a Tackle!" Time to vary things up a little. Gible's jaw was probably starting to hurt from using multiple bites in a row. What other attacks did Gible know anyway? Tackle. Bite. Take Down. And Sandstorm. Interesting. Unfortunately, Tackle didn't do much as the feline nimbly leapt out of the way.

"Meowth, use Fury Swipe!"

"Gible, use Sandstorm!"

Gible growled, and scratched at the ground with his stumpy legs. He continued digging until there was a nice little hole in the ground. He kicked at the ground, causing grains of sand to fly up into the air. A magical windstorm occurred, hurling grains of sand in all directions. Some of the sand attached itself to Lyra's clothing and face. She wished had bought some sunglasses.

"My eyes!" Samantha whined. "Meowth, use Bite!"

Meowth hissed, swatting randomly at the air, but its attacks did no good. It could not see. Gible on the other hand, seemed at home in the raging sandstorm. The howling sandstorm continued, covering the entire gym area, and trainers, in sand. Lyra made a mental note not to use this attack again. A move was no good if she couldn't see what was going on the battlefield. "Gible, finish the Meowth off with Bite!"

Gible disappeared in the sandstorm. Lyra heard a couple of snarls and a few hisses from both Pokemon. A few seconds later, the sandstorm died down revealing a fainted Meowth on the tiled floor. "Don't get too cocky, I still have another Meowth."

"Then I will just have to defeat that one too."

Samantha dusted the grains off her clothes and summoned her next Meowth. Lyra did the same, running her fingers thought her hair to remove sand. "Okay, Gible, you can take this as well." Gible gave Lyra a toothy grin.

"Meowth, use Scratch!"

"Gible, counter attack with Tackle!"

The two Pokemon collided. Meowth's attack struck its target, but did little damage. Gible easily pushed the Meowth aside with a strong Tackle, knocking the cat a few inches back. Meowth jumped to its feet, pounced, and swiped at Gible's eyes. Gible growled, wincing. He fought back, tackling the cat to the ground again.

"Meowth, use Fury Swipes!"

"Gible, use Bite!

Again, the Pokemon collided. Lyra wasn't even sure why Samantha continued to try. There was no way her Meowth could penetrate Gible's scales. Gible brought the battle to an end with another overpowering Bite. Meowth fainted. Samantha brought her hands to her cheeks and groaned. "Oh no, my precious Meowth's!" She glared at Lyra. "Meanie."

Lyra rolled her eyes and continued to move forward. Time to fight the next trainer who was hiding the northern archway. The third trainer fortunately, didn't look as snobby like Victoria and Samantha. She didn't have the same luscious golden brown longs the other two girls did. "I'm Carrie. My Pokemon is the cutest. Here, I'll show you."

Lyra expected to see another cute Pokemon, but the one that appeared was anything but cute. It looked rather intimidating actually. A pink sour-faced canine with blue spots on its belly appeared. Unlike typical canines, this one stood on two legs, like it were a human. She held her Pokedex up again.

 _Snubbull. Although it looks frightening, it is actually kind and affectionate. It is very popular among women._

Somehow, she found that hard to believe. But then again, she didn't have a Snubbull and didn't have any plans on capturing one either. "Gible, use Bite!"

Gible lunged forward, eager to sink his teeth into Snubbull's hide. Snubbull cried out upon being bitten. "Snubbull, put down that dragon! Ice Fang!" Snubbull's teeth turned into icicles, and the canine bit down hard. Gible screamed and immediately fainted.

"Oh my…" Lyra said. How on earth did that canine know a move like that? Better not use Bagon then. Or Staravia for that matter. It was up to Croconaw now. She summoned her mighty companion, and pointed her finger forward. "Use Water Gun!" Croconaw did as commanded. The burst of water knocked Snubbull over, but it wasn't enough to win the battle.

"Thunder Fang!"

Another elemental fang attack? _Arceus' breath,_ Lyra cursed. Her Croconaw's battling time had come to an immediate end. She had no choice but to use Staravia and Bagon, and both were weak to Ice-type moves. Staravia was also unfortunately weak to Thunder Fang. She sent Bagon out first. "Bagon, use Headbutt!" Fortunately, her dragon was faster, and dealt a fair amount of damage to the Snubbull.

"Ice Fang!"

Bagon had fainted before Lyra could even say 'Staravia'. Speed was now her greatest weapon against the nasty Snubbull. If she could out manoeuvre its attacks each time then the Snubbull could not land a super-effective attack. It was time for some strategic thinking to come into play. "Staravia, use Double Team!"

"Ice Fang!"

Fortunately, Snubbull was extremely slow and Staravia easily evaded the attack. Lyra breathed a sigh of relief, but she knew luck wouldn't always be in her favour. She had to end this battle quick. "Use Wing Attack, Staravia!" The avian conjured two small funnels. The funnels struck the dog, hard, but still it stood. _Would anything put this dog down?_ Lyra thought.

"Thunder Fang!"

Again, the Snubbull missed. Sweat beads were forming on her head. "Use Wing Attack again, Staravia!" _Please hit,_ Lyra pleaded silently. The funnels hit their target and thankfully, the Snubbull fainted. Lyra almost collapsed on the floor with relief. "Wow, that was close," she said, heart hammering away in her chest.

Carrie looked like she was going to cry. Lyra thought about moving forward, but decided to head back to the Pokemon Centre. Better not to make such a bold move and have her entire team faint. Retracing her steps, she headed towards the Pokemon Centre for a much needed recovery. Once they had recovered, she hurried back to the gym, making her way back to where she had defeated Carrie. There was only one more trainer to defeat before she could face Whitney.

"I'm Cathy! You won't be able to beat my trio of Jigglypuff! Let's have a triple battle, shall we?"

Fortunately, Lyra had already experienced a triple battle. Team Rocket grunts had taught her something useful after all. Three round-shaped pink Pokemon appeared on the field, big wide blue eyes staring into Lyra's face.

 _Jigglypuff. If it inflates to sing a lullaby, it can perform longer and cause sure drowsiness in its audience._

 _Oh no._ A Pokemon that could cause sleep… and there were three of them. This was not going to be enjoyable. "Jigglypuff's, use Sing!" The three puffballs opened their mouths and started to sing. A soothing lullaby filled Lyra's ears. Drowsiness overcame her. She yawned, her eyelids drooping.

"So tired…" she muttered.

Her three battling Pokemon, Bagon, Gible and Croconaw, all yawned as well then fell into a deep sleep. Lyra too, dropped to the ground, wanting nothing more than to have a short nap. Her eyelids closed. Soon her mind was filled with scenes of her claiming the trophy from her friend, Silver. She giggled. How pleasant. Silver gave her a hug, smiling at her, brushing her bangs away from her face.

Wait. Silver? Friends? Silver actually smiling? That didn't seem right. Her eyes snapped open. Silver was not her friend. He was a bullying thief. "That trick isn't going to work on me!" she declared. "Bagon, use Headbutt!" Gible, use Dragon Rage! Croconaw, use Bite!" Her Pokemon awakened from their naps and launched themselves at their opponents.

Dragon Rage took out one Jigglypuff. Unfortunately, the other two managed to cling on. "Use Pound, Jifflypuffs!"

The two puffballs pounded the ground with their forelegs, causing a slight tremor in the battlefield. Bagon and Croconaw both shook, feeling the direct impact of the attack. "Bagon, use Headbutt again! Croconaw, use Water Gun! Gible, use Dragon Rage!" The faster she took the remaining Jigglypuff's out, the less tired her Pokemon would feel. She wanted to be close to peak condition when fighting against Whitney. Gible's Dragon Rage took out one Jigglypuff, while the combined attacks of Bagon and Croconaw caused Jigglypuff to faint.

As soon as the battle ended, Gible dropped to the ground. It wasn't from exhaustion though – he was shaking which meant it was evolution time again. Lyra was curious to see what the weak looking Gible would involve into so she looked on with keen interest. The evolution process happened, and Gible grew. He was now a head taller than Lyra, making him the tallest Pokemon in the party. Gible's scales turned dark blue, unlike the steel grey one of a Gible.

Gible's arms and legs grew, now in proportion to his body. His tail was no longer a little stump, but rather a powerful weapon. The Gabite had four fins, one on each arm, one on its back and another on its tails, reminding Lyra of a shark. Horns that resembled jet engines rested on both sides of its head, each with a light blue strip in the middle. Those who had laughed at Gible's appearance would not be laughing at him now.

When the evolution process stopped, Gabite planted his feet into the ground and roared.

.

Opening his eyes, he sat up, and took a few moments to recollect himself, then gazed around his environment. Jacob had arrived in Kanto about a week ago, and had immediately made the trek towards Blackthorn City, choosing to walk to avoid suspicion. Keeping his hood down, he walked towards the cave entrance, remembering that's where the shrine was.

His dark eyes scanned his surroundings – the old statues of the Dragonites remained, but there were a couple of new ones there he didn't quite recognize. He crossed over the bridge and walked onto the main land. Several of the locals looked at him with startled expressions. It seemed the current generation of people living in Blackthorn didn't recognize him. So much had changed since he had last visited this city. It was almost unrecognizable.

Distracted by his surroundings, Jacob bumped into another trainer, who immediately hurled out a few words of abuse. "Watch where you're going!" the female snapped. He glanced at her, considered replying, but decided to remain silent. Cold sapphire eyes watched him with suspicion. She opened her mouth to speak a few more words when someone called out the name 'Clair'. Clair. Pryce had said his niece was called Clair – was this the same girl? Clair gave him another look, then stormed off, not sparing him another glance.

He continued making his way towards the cave, which now had a pool of water before it. That hadn't been there for – some precaution method to test the worthy? He jumped in, swam across then climbed out, then looked up to find an elderly man with a walking stick, gazing down at him. Not his grandfather. The man standing before had thick burly eyebrows. He picked himself up from the ground.

"Are you one of us? This cave is accessible only by members of the Blackthorn Clan."

And how were they supposed to check whether or not someone was a member? Did he need a flashy membership card? He snorted. "Stand aside, old man," he ordered. The man did not budge. He attempted to push past the guardsman, but was poked by the man's walking stick. "I'm here to see Edward Blackthorn."

"The Elder is not seeing anyone at this moment. Come back later."

Jacob grabbed the walking stick and yanked it out of the man's hand causing him to stumble. The man tripped over his own two feet and fell onto the ground, pleading for his immediate assistance, but Jacob ignored him and stepped inside the cave. Unlike the rest of the city, the cave remained exactly the same as he had last seen it. The Dratini pool was still there, and the shrine lay across the pool, still in prime condition.

"Hey, this place is closed – you're not supposed to be in here!" said a girl.

Another female joined her side. Identical twins. Both females had a Dratini at their sides. "Clea, he looks dangerous. We should call for Clair!"

"And let Clair be called a heroine, Gil? We can handle this guy." She looked down at her Dratini. "Go for it, Dratini!"

Jacob sighed. It would be easy to control the minds of the Pokemon and turn the dragons against their trainers, but that would only lead to more trouble than he could afford. He remained still, watching the dragons intently, challenging. Gil took a few steps back, unsure. "I don't like this. I'm going to get Clair. He's probably the one who stole the Shiny Dratini." She ran away. Her sister called the battle off and sprinted after the girl.

The Shiny Dratini had been stolen? Things were getting rather slack around here. He continued making his way towards the shrine until he reached the water's edge. Diving in once again, he swam across to the other side then climbed out, marching over to the shrine. He made a fist and banged on the door. "Edward!" No response. He slammed into the door multiple times until it sprung open and stepped inside. The old man was there, kneeling before the Dragonite statue, his head bowed.

"You have returned," he said softly, lifting his head. The years had not been kind to him – years of stress could be seen on his face, making him look much older than he actually was. Jacob took a few steps towards him, and noticed there were tears rolling down the man's cheeks. Someone had upset him. "Why have you returned?"

"Not even a hello?" He moved to stand in front of the old man then kneeled down. "I take it those tears are not for me."

"You are not welcome here."

He held back a snarl. "You should know why I'm here – Lance. Where is he?"

"I will not endanger him."

Jacob reached out, placed a finger beneath the man's chin, and lifted it up further. "You took him away from me."

"You broke the law."

"I saved our city from being torn apart, while you did nothing!" he hissed.

"You were supposed to stand aside and allow Pryce to deal with the danger. That was your test."

Jacob drew back. "A test? You expect me to believe that? A rogue Dragonite was attacking our city, killing our people! And you wanted me to do nothing?"

"Trying to be a hero was what led to your banishment. You tried to control the dragon, but your actions only angered the Dragonite. That was why he tried to destroy us."

"I stopped him in the end."

"It was too late – you failed to prove yourself worthy of being a Dragon Master. One does not earn the title by enslaving the minds of dragons. You broke an oath you promised to uphold – protect dragons, not abuse them. Pull your hand away, Jacob. There will no violence in this shrine." Grudgingly, he withdrew his hand. "You've known about Lance's existence for years, and now you choose to return."

"It seemed like a fine time."

Edward sighed. "Lance can't be helped – I have tried, but he refuses to listen. It is out of my hands now."

"There's me."

"He doesn't even know you – you are a stranger to him."

"Then how do you propose to help him then?"

He mustered up a grim smile. "She will help him."

"She?"

Edward sighed again. "Sit down, and I will tell you all there is to know."


	13. Survival of the Fittest

Thanks to mestwendyfan for reviewing the previous chapter

 **.**

 **Chapter Twelve: Survival of the Fittest**

For awhile now, Silver had been travelling searching far and wide for that silly looking pig-tailed girl. He caught a glimpse of her back in Azalea Town, but he had also caught the sign of cape boy as well. He wanted nothing more than to challenge the girl to a fight to prove himself as the better trainer, but she kept on moving out of his reach. Besides, the dragon guy was there as well snooping around.

But not this time. He was going to crush her like he had destroyed the other trainers. Scenes of broken trainers flooded his mind, as he walked up and down the streets of Goldenrod. The foolish girl had entered the gym – but he would be out here waiting for near the Pokemon Centre to challenge her to a fight. He wanted to fight her at her best.

He leaned against the wall of the Pokemon Centre, tapping his foot impatiently casting hateful glares at random people. He was becoming restless, waiting for that damned girl to leave the gym. She had been in there for over an hour now. Eventually, his patience ran out and he decided to explore the streets a little. Perhaps he could crush some fool trainer in the meantime.

As he wondered up the street, a man in a black uniform caught his eye. The guy was hiding around the Magnet Train building, with an inconspicuous expression on his face. He seemed to be waiting for someone important, judging by the way he paced back and forth. Curious, Silver walked over to the man.

"What are you doing?" Silver called out.

The man froze and turned around. "It doesn't concern you, kid," he spat.

"I think it does. You see, I'm bored and I'm looking to pass some time. You look reasonably weak so I think I'll challenge you."

The man smirked. "You think I'm scared of you? Just some bratty little kid? Get out of here you little runt. What I'm doing is none of your concern." He turned around again, nervously playing with his collar. That's when Silver noticed the 'R' emblazoned on the man's clothing. He knew that symbol well. _Extremely_ well. Team Rocket.

"Stay away from that building!"

"Hmph," the grunt snorted, giving Silver a curious look. The corners of his mouth curved upwards into a mocking grin. "What's got you so worked up, little boy?"

Silver's hands immediately flew down to his pokebelt, grabbing one of his three pokeballs. He pulled it out from its holder and threw the ball onto the ground, summoning his Bayleef. "I _hate_ weaklings, but most of all, I _despise_ Team Rocket."

"How did yo-wait. You're that kid, aren't you? Giovanni's boy? Silver, right?" The grunt tilted his head to the left, giving Silver a hard look. "Yeah, that's you all right. The long red hair… the tough-guy attitude… the same jaw structure… We thought you were dead, but here you are in the heart of Goldenrod City." He walked forward, a maniacal grin on his face. "You could join our ranks, boy. Archer would love to have you on his team. You could be his personal assistant – how does that sound? Giovanni would want you to."

Bayleef stepped forward, lowering his head, glaring at the grunt. Vines slowly reached out towards the grunt as Bayleef came closer. "Giovanni's weak. Team Rocket is weak. I hate the weak. I will crush you and every member of Team Rocket."

"You talk tough, kid. I like that. Your old man would be proud. What do you say you and I work together? We could make this city kneel before our feet." The man extended a hand. Bayleef whipped at the space before his feet, prompting him to jump back. "You're making a mistake, boy. Archer could make you a _king!_ "

"I never cared for royalty. They're weak-minded fools unable to do anything for themselves. Bayleef, strike him down now! Use Razor Leaf!" Bayleef sent a flurry of leaves towards the grunt, forcing the man to drop to the ground to avoid the attack. He rolled over onto his back, holding his hands defensively before his face.

Fortunately, this part of the town was quiet. Or at least it was down this little alleyway. Silver towered over the fallen grunt and spat on his clothes. "Pathetic. But I don't expect anything else from Team Rocket."

"This isn't over, Silver! Archer will hunt you down and you _will_ work for him! It is your destiny! Giovanni's blood runs through your veins, do you dare deny that?" Once again, Silver ordered his Bayleaf to attack the grunt. This time, the leaves hit their target, slicing into the man's flesh. The grunt held back a scream, but clutched his wounded arm to his chest.

"Blood doesn't bind me to my _father_ ," Silver replied, spitting the word 'father'. He hated being related to Giovanni. A father should be kind, not malicious and twisted. He still remembered his childhood which consisted of his father showing him how to run an empire. When he didn't listen, or argued a point, he'd be beaten. Giovanni was why he didn't have any friends – the man always said people were there for you to use, not become friendly with. "You can run back to your _master_ like the dog you are. Tell him this: Silver will crush you. Is that simple enough for you?" He hovered over the man, glaring. "Come on, get up. Don't make me kick you."

The grunt climbed to his feet, and gave Silver a fleeting fearful glance before running off. Silver chuckled then returned to his post by the Pokemon Centre.

.

Walking up to Whitney, Lyra couldn't help but feel rather intimidated. The pink-headed girl was examining her nails right now, and speaking into a phone. She didn't catch any of the words, but judging by the growing red tinge in her cheeks, she was most likely talking to some guy. She stopped talking into her Xtransceiver as soon as she spotted Lyra.

"I'll talk to you later, Morty. There's a girl waiting to battle me." She put the phone away and flashed Lyra a stunning smile. "We've already meet, but I should probably introduce myself again anyway. It's the rules, you know? I'm Whitney. Everyone was into Pokemon, so I got into it, too! Pokemon are super cute! So you want to battle, am I right? I'm warning you – I'm good!"

Lyra hoped she was good enough to handle whatever Whitney threw at her. She was confident her team would pull through with a win. Three of them had reached their secondary evolution and they all learnt some new moves. Gabite's newest move was Dual Chop and Croconaw had learnt Ice Fang. Staravia had the opportunity to learn Endeavor but Lyra decided she didn't want it, choosing to stick with Staravia's current move set. Bagon's move set also remained the same.

"I like the dress, by the way! You actually look kinda cute now! Not as cute as me though."

Lyra put on a fake smile, as she reached for her first pokeball. She threw it out at the same time as Whitney. A weird looking bipedal pink creature popped out, waving its stocky arms in the air. "What on earth is that?" she mumbled, pulling out her Pokedex.

 _Clefairy. The evolved form of Cleffa. The moonlight that it stores in the wings on its back apparently gives it the ability to float in midair._ She put the Pokedex away, concentrating on the battle.

Gabite appeared, staring down at the Clefairy. Whitney whistled at the sight of the proud dragon. "If it wasn't for the sharp teeth and fins, your dragon could actually be considered cute." She shrugged her shoulders. "But enough talk. Let's get this battle started. Your move first, girlfriend."

"Okay, Gabite. Use Dual Chop!" Gabite leapt into action, karate chopping the Clefairy with both forearms. Clefairy stumbled then jumped back into position.

Whitney just grinned. "Clefairy, use Mimic!" A bizarre glow emanated from the Clefairy, which also encased Gabite. Clefairy's eyes flashed red. "Now use Dual Chop!" Lyra wouldn't have thought a Pokemon with stubby arms could inflict so much damage so she was surprised to see Gabite collapse on the ground. "You're still pretty new at this battling thing, aren't you? Dragons are super weak against their own type. Sometimes using the most powerful move isn't the best way to go."

Gabite looked ready to faint. For the sake of sparing her newly evolved Gabite from fainting, she recalled her Pokemon to his pokeball, and brought out Staravia instead. Whitney's eyebrows arched up. "Go, Staravia!"

"You really have a thing for foreign Pokemon, don't you?"

"Staravia, use Double Team!"

"Clefairy, use Mimic!"

 _Not again,_ Lyra thought. Was there any move she could use that would be ineffective against her own? She looked thoughtful. Nothing came to mind. Every move she had could be used against her, and with the right strategy in place, Lyra could be defeated easily. She looked at Whitney. The girl was grinning.

"Have you given up yet?"

"No."

"All right then. Don't say I didn't give you the chance to surrender."

All Lyra could really do is keep attacking until the Clefairy fainted. It wasn't like she could do anything else anyway. "Staravia, use Quick Attack!" Staravia dashed forward, striking the Clefairy.

"Clefairy, Double Slap!"

Staravia received two slaps in the face, fortunately the move did not hit too hard. "Counter-attack, Staravia!" Staravia tackled the Clefairy, but missed. Clefairy hit back with another Double Slap, the second slap being a critical strike. The avian Pokemon landed on the ground, too weak to support its weight in the air.

"Clefairy, finish Staravia off with another Double Slap!"

Before Lyra could understand what was happening, her Staravia was lying on the ground, her eyes half-closed. _For Arceus' sake!_ Lyra cursed inwardly. Whitney was tough. Much tougher than she had assumed. She summoned her Croconaw to the battlefield.

"Toto, use Ice Fang!" That was a move that would be useless to mimic. Croconaw sunk its strong jaws into Clefairy's hide, prompting a squeal to escape Clefairy's throat. The Clefairy flinched unable to fight back. It was Lyra's turn again. She used the same attack again successfully managing to knock out the Clefairy.

"Not bad for a former farm girl," Whitney exclaimed, not at all worried. "Now the real battle starts! Miltank!" A pink rather adorable cow left Whitney's pokeball.

"Toto, use Ice Fang!"

"Miltank, use Stomp!" The cow moved first, stomping her feet into the ground, causing a slight crack to appear on the field. Croconaw fell over, unable to balance himself. "Now Miltank, use Rollout!" The cow stomped again, this time causing a number of rocks to fly out of the ground. The cow rammed into the rocks, pushing them forwards so they would strike Croconaw while he was still down.

"Toto, watch out!" But it was too late. The rocks collided into Croconaw, knocking the reptile out in one hit. Lyra couldn't believe her eyes – had that really just happened? Who had ever thought a cute cow could have so much power? She summoned her Bagon. Miltank used Rollout again. Bagon fainted. Lyra summoned Gabite again, but like the others before it, fell to Miltank's Rollout.

The battle was over within seconds. Lyra looked on in disbelief. How could she have lost so easily? "Don't be so hard on yourself, trainer. Not many people can get past me. Try again later when you're stronger… or quit your journey now and head back home. It's your choice. Bye!" Whitney waved, as Lyra made her way back to the Pokemon Centre. She stepped inside, healed up her Pokemon and exited.

"You!"

Lyra froze. Was someone talking to her? She spun around, glancing over her shoulder looking for the person who had called out her name. She didn't see anyone but an elderly couple walking nearby. Strange. She was about to start heading back to the gym when she was suddenly knocked over onto the ground. Spluttering, Lyra landed on her backside. She winced, grumbling. A chilling laughter reached her ears. Glancing up, she spotted a boy with long red hair snickering at her. She knew that face. Silver. Immediately, she climbed to her feet. "What was that for?"

"You and I were supposed to battle in Azalea Town, but you were too busy with dragon boy. Is he your older brother?"

Dragon boy? Just who on earth was Silver talking about? Wait. Did he mean that weird guy with the cape and cute Dragonite? Her face turned red. "We're not related!" Heck, they didn't even _look_ related.

Silver snorted. "That's a shame. I was hoping to crush both of you at the same time, but I think I'll just start with you first." He pointed a finger at her. "You're not going to defeat me this time!"

So much for having a rematch with Whitney, but Silver's appearance couldn't happen at a better time. This would give her team some extra experience going into the battle against the damned Miltank. Lyra summoned her Gabite to take the first match while Silver summoned his Zubat.

"Are you sure you're not related to that dragon guy?" Silver taunted.

"Positive," Lyra snapped. "Gabite, use Dual Chop!"

"Use Bite, Zubat!" Gabite was faster than Zubat. He jumped into the air, and slashed at the bat twice, bringing it to the ground. She heard Silver curse. "Fight back, you useless Pokemon! Destroy them!" he raged. Zubat weakly gained altitude then dove forward, latching onto the back of Gabite's neck. Bite did little damage – Zubat's bite was probably just an itch to Gabite. Roaring, Gabite swung around, throwing the Zubat off him.

"Dragon Rage!" The Zubat was struck hard by a burst of draconic rage. It fell to the ground, its eyes crossed.

"Why does this keep happening to me?!"

"Well done, Gabite! Now it's your turn to teach this guy a lesson, go Toto!"

"Bayleef! Destroy this chump!" Silver's mascot Pokemon appeared from his pokeball, giving Lyra a menacing glower. "I will not be defeated! Not this time! Razor Leaf!"

Water-types were extremely vulnerable to Grass-moves, but Ice-moves did great damage against grass-types. "Toto, use Ice Fang!" The leaves struck her Croconaw hard, causing a cry of pain to escape from Toto's throat. But the reptile managed to hang on. Croconaw jumped forward, sinking icy fangs into Bayleef's neck.

The bulky grass Pokemon cried. "Synthesis!" A white glow shrouded the Pokemon. It remained for a few seconds then disappeared, healing all injuries Bayleef had received. "Bet you weren't expecting that. Crush her!"

Not wishing to have Croconaw faint again so soon, Lyra retrieved him back summoning Staravia to the battle. The bird flapped into the air, circling the Bayleef. "I'm not going to let you beat me. Staravia, use Wing Attack!" Staravia emitted a high-pitched squawk, sending forth two mini funnels. The attack was a critical blow and Bayleef dropped to the ground.

"No way… this isn't happening… not again," Silver said, fingers curled into fists. "How can I lose to a bleeding heart like you? How could I lose to a _girl?_ "

There was something about the way Silver said girl that made Lyra's blood boil. Did he think females were inferior to male trainers just because they were female? "I don't know why you hate me so much, but I do know one thing for certain – you will never defeat me."

Silver kicked the ground, after recalling his fallen Bayleef. "This isn't over. I'm not strong enough yet, but I will be. And then you'll see – power is everything. I'll make _you_ understand. I'll make _him_ understand." A psychotic gleam appeared in his eyes. "I will be the world's greatest trainer!" Before Lyra could attempt to reason with him, Silver turned around and sprinted towards the northern gates of Goldenrod.

Lyra watched him flee, feeling a great surge of pity for the boy. Whatever childhood that boy experienced, it had left him feeling angry and bitter. Heading north didn't actually seem like a bad idea though – some time relaxing at the National Park might do herself and her team some good. They certainly needed a rest. After that, she'd return to claim her badge.

.

Visiting the National Park had proven to be an excellent idea. The gardens were simply breathtaking. Flowers of many different colours lay scattered around the park, filling Lyra's heart with happiness at the sight. She picked a rose off its stalk and brought it to her nose, breathing in the scent of nature. It'd be easy to spend the rest of the day here simply relaxing in the field of flowers under the shade of beautiful oak trees.

Her Pokemon were certainly were enjoying their leisure time. Bagon, Gabite and Croconaw chased each other through the flowers while Staravia sat in one of the trees, enjoying a brief nap. Lyra herself lay in one of the flower patches, staring up at the clouds above. One of the clouds looked like a Mareep.

She stretched her arms above her head, grinning like a person in love. The past few days had been filled with endless battles – gym leaders, wild Pokemon, gym trainers, Team Rocket, random trainer and Silver – she deserved a break even if it was a short-lived one. She closed her eyes, listening to the sounds around her: the chirps of birds, the buzzing of the bees, the calm sounds of water and the gentle rustling of grass… this was paradise.

"I'm sorry, trainer, but I'm going to have to ask you to leave."

Lyra opened her eyes finding a shadow casted over her. She sat up. "Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't know there was a time limit."

The police officer shook his head. "The Bug-Catching Contest is due to start in thirty minutes. All non-participants will have to leave. You can return once the contest is over though. If you wish, you can watch the competition through the spectator window inside the viewing gallery." He pointed to a little wooden shack in the far eastern corner.

She nodded, standing up. As much as she'd like to hang around and watch, she really needed to beat Whitney. "It's all right."

"I'm sorry for the inconvenience. Here, take this potion containing the move, Dig. I found just before. You look like you could put it to good use. Good luck, trainer." Lyra took the attack potion, placed it in her bag and headed back towards the gym. Once back within the walls of Goldenrod City, Lyra pulled out the attack potion and read the label. "A Pokemon that learns this move burrows underneath the ground and waits for the right moment to attack."

That sounded like it could be extremely useful in her rematch against Whitney. But who could learn it? She summoned her four Pokemon and looked at them, holding the potion in her right hand. Bagon didn't have the right physique for it. Birds didn't live underground. Toto didn't need another move right now. That left Gabite. "Would you like to learn a new move, Gabite?"

Gabite nodded eagerly, wagging his tail. Lyra smiled, and pulled the cap off the potion and gave it to her dragon. The dragon drank the brown liquid until the entire bottle was empty. "Let's put that new move to good use against Whitney." This time she would win.

.

"H-hey! Just one left? But… I ain't losin' you hear?" Whitney stuttered, as her Clefairy fainted. Teaching Gabite Dig had been an excellent decision. Although he still sustained a little damage when recovering from using Dig, he inflicted a great deal in return. Clefairy didn't stand a chance. But would the same strategy use against the speedier Miltank? Lyra was about to find out.

"Gabite, use Dig!" Gabite dug underground again, using his forearms to dig a rather large hole. The dragon worked fast, throwing mounds of dirt behind it. He jumped down into the hole and continued to dig a tunnel. Gabite would have to rely on the vibrations of his opponent to find the right moment to strike.

One miscalculation and the dragon would leave himself open to a vicious counter-attack. "Miltank, use Stomp!" Miltank walked back and forth, stamping her feet into the ground, trying to lure the Gabite out from his hiding spot. Lyra had to give Miltank some credit – the cow was extremely persistent and never seemed to tire. But her Gabite was also determined to win the match.

Miltank suddenly came to a stop, scratching at the ground. Gabite had most likely been detected. Lyra held in her breath. "Miltank, use Stomp again!" Miltank reared.

"Now Gabite! Show yourself!"

A hole opened beneath the Miltank's feet and Gabite leapt out from the hole in the ground, headbutting Miltank in its belly. The Miltank fell over, failing to land properly on her legs. "Dual Chop!

"Rollout!"

The Pokemon clashed. Gabite was larger than the Miltank, but the cow was rather strong. Both Pokemon held their ground until the Miltank suddenly pulled back. Whitney rushed forward and gave her Pokemon a much needed Super Potion, allowing the Miltank to heal her wounds. Lyra decided to do the same and gave her Gabite his very first Potion. She made a mental note to herself to use potions more often.

"Miltank, use Rollout!"

Miltank's Rollout seemed to inflict more damage each time it was used. Another hit like that and Gabite would be out of the match. "Gabite! Dodge!" Gabite evaded the moving rocks, throwing himself out of harm's way. "Use Dragon Rage!" The move struck its target but Miltank had enough health to sustain the entire blow.

"Poor me!" Whitney exclaimed. "Miltank, use Milk Drop!"

The Miltank produced some milk from her udder, which fell to the ground, creating a tiny pool. Miltank lowered her head and lapped some of it up recovering her health. Lyra really hated moves like that. And Victoria had called Dragon Rage a cheap move. "Dual Chop!"

"Rollout!"

This time, Gabite wasn't able to avoid the rocks. Fortunately, he was still able to land a critical hit on the Miltank. Gabite landed on the ground, breathing heavily. "Miltank, use Milk Drop!" Again the cow healed itself. Would anything bring that damn cow down? Gabite was now on the brink of exhaustion so Lyra called him back, bringing out Staravia to finish the battle.

"Rollout!"

"Double Team!" Staravia jumped into the air avoiding the Rollout attack in the nick of time. One hit of that move and her Pokemon would faint immediately.

"Rollout!"

Staravia dodged the flying rocks then counter-attacked. "Wing Attack!"

"Milk Drop!"

Just how many times could Miltank use that move? She hoped Whitney couldn't use it again otherwise she'd never win this battle. Surely it had to be considered cheating for a Pokemon to be able to naturally heal itself during battle over and over again? "Quick Attack!" Staravia struck first this time, slamming into the cow's left side. The cow bowled over.

"Milk Drop!"

Lyra tightened her jaw. Her attacks must be doing some form of damage if Miltank had to keep healing itself. "Just a little bit longer, Staravia. You can do this. Use Wing Attack!"

"Ugh!" Whitney exclaimed. Miltank's legs gave way, and the cow fell to the floor, mooing softly. The cow had run out of milk to drink and no longer could heal herself for the remainder of the battle. One more hit - that's all Lyra needed and she'd win that Plain Badge. "Come on, Miltank! You can still win this. Use Rollout!"

"Evade!" Staravia veered a sharp right, avoiding a flying rock. "Quick Attack, now! Give it everything you've got!" Staravia's eyes met Lyra's and the bird nodded, before swooping. The bird slammed into the side of the Miltank, knocking the cow over, earning a satisfactory cry of pain. This time, Miltank did not stand up.

Lyra threw a fist into the air. She was another step closer to becoming the Champion! "Waaahh! Waaahh!" Lyra's head jerked towards Whitney. The girl was… Crying? Crying hysterically. Tears were streaming down the girl's face like a waterfall. "You meanie!" Whitney sobbed even louder, her cries bouncing off the walls off the gym.

Lyra just stood there. What now? She couldn't leave without getting that badge. After all, she had earned it. But Whitney was in no state to demand the badge. She'd probably just cry even louder. Sighing, Lyra turned around. Maybe she'd come back later…

"Don't go," said one of the gym trainers, as she approached Lyra. "Whitney doesn't lose very often. It's hard for her to accept. She'll calm down soon though. Go and ask her again." The trainer pointed to Whitney.

Lyra walked back over stopping to stand in front of the weeping gym leader. "Whitney," she started.

Whitney wiped her eyes. "What do you want? A Badge?" she sulked, wiping away another tear. Oh, right. I forgot. Here's the Plain Badge you earned. The Plain Badge lets your Pokemon use Strength to push those annoying boulders out of your way. Oh, you can have this, too! It's Attract!" she said, handing Lyra a pink potion. "It makes full use of a Pokemon's charm. Isn't it just perfect for a cutie like me?" She sniffed again.

Lyra looked down at the Plain Badge. It was a yellow square with silver edges. She placed it in with her other badges and gave Whitney a kind smile. "You were great, Whitney."

Whitney seemed to have recovered from her loss, giving Lyra the same smile in return. "So were you, I guess. Don't go losing to anyone else now."

"Where should I head next?"

"You want to head to Ecruteak City next, that's just off Route 37. Just keep following the route and you'll find a tall tower. That's Bell Tower. You'll learn more about it when you get there though. Make sure you drop by the gym. Say hello to Morty for me." She surprised Lyra by giving the girl a hug. "I'm sorry for my outburst. I should've controlled myself better. Go on, do me proud!"

Whitney wasn't so bad after all, Lyra thought, as she exited the gym. The gym leader had mentioned getting onto Route 37. To get there, she needed to walk through the National Park then get onto Route 36. She smiled down at her team. "Are you ready for another long walk?" The eager sounds her Pokemon made gave her the answer she needed.


	14. Ulterior Motives

Thanks to Paige McCarthy and mestwendyfan for reviewing the previous chapter. Also thanks to PKMNfanSakura for reviewing chapter 1.

I know this story has been uploaded several times, but I'm glad people are still reading this. Do be sure to check out Ravaged World too!

 **.**

 **Chapter Thirteen: Ulterior Motives**

Wrapping his purple scarf around his neck, Morty walked to the foot of the Bell Tower and glanced up. Every day he would visit the tower bright and early, hoping he would catch a glimpse of the legendary bird Pokemon, Ho-Oh. Three years ago, the Pokemon had revealed itself to Red, and served the trainer for a number of months until Red disappeared, releasing the bird back into the wild.

For three long years, the Bell Tower had been empty. It had become a home for Rattata's during the day and Ghastly's during the night. The kimono girls often said the legendary Pokemon would only return for a pure-hearted trainer. Morty didn't believe in the girls though; he was a pure-hearted trainer and Ho-Oh had not revealed itself yet. Perhaps he was lacking something though he could not be sure what that was exactly.

"Do you really think Ho-Oh is going to show itself to you?" a voice said behind him, pulling Morty out of his thoughts.

Morty glanced over his shoulder and spotted his old friend, Eusine, standing nearby. Eusine was a trainer as well, but his goals were different from Morty's. He had become a trainer to so he could travel the world, learning more about the legendary Pokemon. Morty, on the other hand, became a trainer so he could maximise his bond with his Pokemon so Ho-Oh would return. "I don't understand. My heart is pure. Why hasn't Ho-Oh revealed itself?"

"Perhaps we're missing something," the man replied, stroking his chin thoughtfully, gazing up at the Bell Tower in wonder.

"You tell me. You're the expert."

There was a brief pause. Eusine seemed to be in deep thought. Finally, he spoke. "Come with me to the Burned Tower. I want to show you something."

Morty lifted a blond brow, giving his friend a quizzical look and laughed derisively. "What is it this time? Another funny shaped rock?"

The researcher glared. "I believe you will find it interesting." He headed towards the Burned Tower, a clipboard and pen in his hand, Morty following close behind. A gentle breeze blew through the city, causing a few bronze leaves to fall off their trees. Morty managed to catch one. They entered the Burned Tower and stepped inside.

The Burned Tower had once been a magnificent structure until a devastating fire destroyed the building one hundred and fifty years ago. Now it served as a memorial site to remind locals and tourists of the tragic events that had happened here. "Have you brought me here to remember the fallen?" Morty said, standing beside Eusine.

"Look down below. What do you see?" he said, edging forward towards the large gaping hole in the centre of the building.

Morty glanced down. His eyebrows arched up. There were three Pokemon standing in triangle formation on the bottom floor which once served as a basement. But they were not ordinary Pokemon – they were in fact the three legendary elemental cats of Johto. Raikou, Entei and Suicine. "This is a dream…" he murmured, rubbing his eyes. But the canines were still there. "What…"

"This is a sign, is it not? Don't you feel it in the air?" He held his hands up, eyes full of excitement. "There is a change. These cats haven't been seen since Red captured them… but now they stand before us." Eusine gripped Morty's shoulder and brought him closer to the edge. "They have returned home for a reason. Ho-Oh has returned."

Morty pulled himself free, jerking his shoulder roughly. "If Ho-Oh had returned don't you think the kimono girls would've said something?" He glanced back down at the legendaries, rubbing his chin. "Are you sure you're not mixing dreams with reality again, Eusine?" He turned back to the other man.

"You doubt my research, but I know I'm right. You believe you are the pure-hearted trainer they are searching for – I think I am the one they want." He lowered his hands. "I have spent most of my life researching the legendary beasts for this moment to happen."

"Have you forgotten who you are talking to? I'm the gym leader of Ecruteak City." Morty glared at Eusine.

"And what has being a gym leader ever done for you?" Eusine snapped. "It has not brought you closer to Ho-Oh or the other legendary beasts," he added, heatedly. "You should join with me, Morty! We could travel Johto and Kanto following the legendary beasts! What say you?"

Morty shook his head. "My place is here within Ecruteak City. I will not abandon this city."

Eusine snorted. "Then you leave me no choice. I will continue to pursue the legendary canines alone until the legendary sees that I am worthy of its power."

"And what will you do if the Pokemon does decide to submit to you?" Morty replied. Eusine was playing a dangerous game – the man was foolhardy! "You are not a sound trainer, Eusine. Is it not true the legendaries challenge trainers to see if they are truly worthy? I have not forgotten how you lost to me and that was well before I became a gym leader."

"They _will_ be mine. I will not stop until I reach my goals." He turned around and stormed out of the tower, muttering a string of curses. Morty sighed, shaking his head. Eusine's plan was only going to end in disaster.

.

Lyra's journey to Ecruteak City had been quite a lengthy trek, filled with battles and some very close calls. But the journey had also been filled with excitement – she found a new Pokemon to add to her team and this time it was a native Pokemon to Johto. A young female Growlithe to be precise. The Growlithe was very affectionate, spending a lot of time trying to catch Lyra's attention. The tiger-striped canine loved being scratched just under the chin and also enjoyed licking her hands.

The canine was now running around in circles around her legs, barking. Lyra just laughed at the sight. The adorable little canine never seemed to run out of energy. "Settle down, Growlithe, we've still got a fair way to go yet before we reach the next city," she said, in between laughs.

Growlithe panted, resting at her feet, tongue hanging out of his mouth. Bending down, she stroked the canine on her head, earning an appreciative lick in response. She continued playing with her new friend when her Xtransceiver rang. Quickly, she answered it. Ethan was calling.

"Lyra!"

"Hi Ethan," she said.

"Congratulations!"

She was lost. "Congratulations?"

"You don't listen to the news, do you? You saved the Slowpoke in Azalea Town! It was mentioned briefly in an interview with Kurt. You are a hero now… well, a heroine. I'm so glad that I get to call you a friend. You have to keep me updated on these things, Lyra. Have a good day! Go win another badge! See ya!" Ethan hung up on the phone, and Lyra put it away, chuckling slightly.

What a fine start to the day. Congratulatory thanks from a childhood friend and a cuddle from her new friend. She didn't have any room for another Pokemon right now, but there was still one more she wanted. Not the Paras. And not the Egg Pokemon. But something different. Maybe a cat. She had always wanted a cat of her own when she had been younger.

"Hey trainer! Would you like a special stone?" A young boy wearing some dorky mismatched clothes called.

"I'm not into rock collecting," Lyra replied.

The boy's eyes fell on her Growlithe. "My name is Alan. I collect special stones that help your Pokemon evolve. You see, not every Pokemon evolves by battling."

Lyra's eye brows arched up. "Oh?"

"You heard me." He reached down into his brown satchel and pulled out a bright red rock. "This is a fire stone. You can use it to evolve your Growlithe into an Arcanine. But you probably shouldn't use it until your Growlithe is at a good enough level of experience. Arcanines only learn one new move. So you should wait until Growlithe learns all the moves you want."

"Oh, thanks for that."

She tried to reach out for the stone, but Alan pulled it back, wagging a finger. "I'm not just going to give it to you. You have to battle me and win if you want this stone." _Of course,_ Lyra thought. It was never that easy. He pulled out his only pokeball and threw it onto the ground. A strange looking Pokemon that looked like it was made up of thick blue vines appeared. Lyra held up her Pokedex.

 _Tangela. The vines that cloak its entire body are always jiggling. They effectively unnerve its foes._

Her Pokemon were currently pretty exhausted from all the battles along the long road. All except for Growlithe of course. "Show him what you are made of, Growlithe!" Lyra said. Growlithe stopped rubbing her head against Lyra's legs, and leapt into a battle position. _Since Tangela was made up of vines, a fire-type move should do some serious damage,_ Lyra thought.

"Tangela, use Bind!" Tangela's vines emerged from its body, reaching out towards the Growlithe. Growlithe tried hard to avoid them, but there were far too many. Thick vines wrapped around the canine's body, squeezing tight, causing the Growlithe to yelp.

"Hang in there, Growlithe! Use Ember!" Upon hearing the command, the Growlithe fought back. A small ball of fire exited her mouth, smashing into the vines wrapping around her body, burning them away.

"Oh no, my precious Tangela! What did you do to him?"

"You know a fair bit about evolution stones, but you don't seem to be aware that grass-types are weak against fire-types," Lyra said.

Alan dropped to his knees, the Fire Stone falling to the ground. "I guess I should go back to school…" He looked at the stone. "You can have it. You earned it."

Lyra picked up the stone and placed it in her bag. "Thanks. Erm, is this the way to Ecruteak City?"

"Yeah, just keep heading north. You'll get there eventually. It's pretty hard to miss. You'll see a Sudowoodo blocking the path, but if you have a water-type Pokemon with you he won't be a problem. If you don't, just head back to the flower shop in Goldenrod. Good luck, trainer. Hey, we should battle again some time. I might have another stone to give to you. I'll give you a call, yeah?" he said, pulling out his Xtransceiver.

She nodded, entering her contact details. "Sounds good. Thanks again!" She smiled and said her goodbyes then continued heading north. She expected to see some giant boulder Pokemon blocking the way, but instead saw a tree that looked a bit like a cross between a log and a sausage. It looked at her calmly, as if challenging her to a fight.

 _Sudowoodo. Although it always pretends to be a tree, its composition appears to be closer to a rock than a plant._

Lyra summoned Toto to the battlefield. "Use Water Gun, Toto!"

Sudowoodo was hit with a blast of water. The tree sprung into action, shaking its head, making a bizarre grumbling sound. Lyra decided to run past it instead – this was no time for battling when her Pokemon were already so tired. She recalled her Croconaw, picked up her Growlithe and ran past the Pokemon, not stopping once to glance over her shoulder. She made a mental note to herself as she raced north. _Never blast trees in the face with water again. Could be a grumpy Pokemon waiting,_ she noted.

She continued running until she was certain the tree was far behind her. Stopping momentarily to catch her breath, Lyra glanced up only to find the marvellous city gates of Ecruteak City before her. Unlike the other city gates, this one looked rather ancient. The arch way was purple, its tiles sloping downwards.

Taking in a deep breath, she stepped through the arch way, taking a step back in history.

.

Lance arrived at the league in the late hours of the day. Instead of entering through the front door, he landed on his foyer outside his own bedroom. Having two places to call home had its benefits – at Blackthorn he had to share a room with Clair, but here at the league he had a room fit for a King. Dragonite curled up into a ball on the foyer while Lance headed towards the Elite Four chambers.

Could visions be changed? Could he change the future if he followed Lyra around the region, stepping in to take over when trouble arose with Team Rocket? There was one person aside from the Elder that could help answer his questions. "Will," he said, tapping on the Psychic Master's door. "We need to talk."

The door opened several seconds later. "Lance? Strange time to want a conversation don't you think?" he said, removing the mask of his face. Lance rarely saw the man without it on. "What did you need?"

"Can I come in?"

Will stepped to the left, allowing Lance inside his room. Posters of Psychic Pokemon covered his walls giving the place a rather eerie feel. "Something bothering you?" Will said, closing the door behind them.

"I need to know – can the future be changed?"

Will frowned. "The future is always changing. You need to be a little more specific."

"You know that my grandfather has visions of what is to come," Lance started, pacing back and forth. "All his visions have been right up until now." He stopped, turning to look at Will again.

"He saw your defeat, did he? Everyone loses, Lance. Some more so than others."

Lance shook his head. "I don't lose."

"You lost to Blue. And you lost to Red. That has to count for something."

"That was over two years ago."

Will sighed. "So why did you want to speak to me for?"

It was time to cut to the chase. "My grandfather saw in his visions that an old evil would return. He was right – Team Rocket has returned. I've seen them with my own eyes." Will opened his mouth to speak, but Lance silenced him with a glare. "Do not interrupt me. You know that it's my duty as Champion to protect this region from the likes of Team Rocket… yet, my grandfather claims that I will not be the one to do so. He says that some rookie girl will rise up to the task of defeating Team Rocket."

"And you don't like the thought of someone else getting all the glory, especially someone of an inferior ranking. Am I correct?" Will gave a sardonic laugh. "Tell me about this girl, what is she like?"

His jaw tightened. "She's… not bad for a rookie." He hated to admit it. She was probably as good as he had been when he was her age.

"So, what's the real problem here, Lance? Sounds to me you can't handle the idea of someone else being the hero. I never thought of you to be the jealous type. Isn't that Clair's speciality?"

Lance ignored the remark about Clair and continued. "You're a Psychic Master – what do your powers tell you?"

Will sighed, and summoned his mascot Pokemon, a Xatu. "Are you sure you wish to know? You might not like what I find."

"Just do it."

Xatu remained still. Closing his eyes, Will raised his hands, as if protecting himself from something. "Xatu – tell me… what do you see?" The condor-like avian's eyes stared into Will's closed eyes, its face unflinching. Will tilted his head. "It can't be done then? No? I believe you." Will opened his eyes and looked at Lance. "You want to challenge destiny? Your chances are next to impossible."

That wasn't the answer he had been hoping for. "What if you are wrong?"

Will's gaze hardened. "Xatu might not be able to make accurate predictions like your grandfather, but he is rarely wrong. You can't fight destiny, Lance. Of course, you can keep on trying but this is a battle you can't win. If you are still intent on trying though, I would advise sticking close to the girl. Study her, observe. You never know what you might find. Now, is there anything else you need?" he said, impatient. Lance shook his head. "Good. Goodnight then."

Lance could see this conversation was well and truly over now, so he exited Will's room and made his way back to his own. He had never been too fond of the Will – the guy wasn't someone he could trust – but he did have his uses. Rubbing his temples, he walked past his king-size bed, and stepped outside on the foyer.

Sleep wasn't going to happen tonight. His head was filled with troubling thoughts. Resting his arms on the foyer railing, he glanced down at the world below. Lyra was out there somewhere, growing stronger with each passing day. She came from nothing yet had accomplished more than he had ever done.

He was reminded of Red. Red too had come from nothing yet he had gone on to become the world's greatest trainer. Would Lyra follow in Red's steps and become a legend as well? Was he wrong to think ill of her? He ran a hand through his hair. Was Lyra the key to finding the proof he so desperately craved?

.

Well, she didn't really go back in time, but it felt like she had. The trees here were unlike any she had seen before – they were not green like all the others, but rather a mixture of gold and auburn. It was rumoured the trees never shed their leaves in Ecruteak City and that's why leaves were the colour they were.

Arching her neck back, her mouth dropped in awe at the breathtaking sight of the mountain before her. The mighty mountain, Mt. Mortar according to her town map, towered over the city, casting a long black shadow over the land. She had never seen a mountain so close before – Mt. Mortar could barely be seen from her hometown. She could see the sun's rays behind the mountain, but the rays never actually reached the city itself.

Pulling her gaze away from the breathtaking mountain, Lyra looked her, taking in her surroundings. It was truly a beautiful place and far more peaceful than the business of Goldenrod. The houses were not fashioned like modern ones, but rather were in the structure of a pagoda. Some of the pagodas were a few levels of high, but the majority had less than two levels. They were also brilliantly coloured – some were green, some were gold and some were even red and purple.

 _It was a nice change of scenery,_ Lyra thought. The soothing melodies of bird song filled the air adding to the ambient atmosphere. A ten-foot pagoda caught her eye. It was perhaps the largest building she had ever laid eyes on, being far taller than any building in Goldenrod. Curious to learn more, she headed towards it.

"Excuse me, but this area is off-limits," an old man said, tugging at his neatly combed beard.

Lyra stopped, arching her neck back. The tower looked older than anything else in this city. "What is this place?"

"This is the Bell Tower, built over seven hundred years ago. This tower was once home to the legendary rainbow bird, Ho-Oh."

"Ho-Oh?" Lyra repeated. "Please tell me more."

The old man seemed surprised. "Over seven hundred years ago, two nine-tier towers were built opposite to each other here in Ecruteak. These towers were built to foster friendship and hope between Pokemon and people. The eastern tower was said to awaken Pokemon, while the western tower was where Pokemon were said to rest. Ho-Oh roosted at the top of the Bell Tower which is the one that stands before you now." He too gazed up, looking longingly at the highest point of the tower. "Then tragedy struck."

"What happened?"

He returned to Lyra, gaze lingering on her face. "A fierce storm came through the city one night, and struck the western tower. It was engulfed in flames that raged for three days. Rain fell, but it was too late – the tower had already burned to the ground. Three nameless Pokemon perished in the fire, but Ho-Oh descended from the sky and resurrected them. They were given names, embodying the three powers: Raikou, the lightning that struck the tower, Entei, the fire that burned it, and Suicine, the rain that extinguished the fire."

Lyra was lost for words. What a sad tale. "That's so sad," she said softly. "What happened to them?"

He pointed to the Burned Tower. "You will the answers you seek in the tower. Go now, and see for yourself." He bowed gracefully and Lyra turned away, heading towards the Burned Tower. The tower no hardly had a roof – only a few scrap pieces of wood remained, providing little shelter. She could see the black marks the fire had left in the wood that remained. If she thought hard, she could almost imagine herself standing in the middle of the fire. Shuddering, she pushed the horrific scene out of her head.

Up ahead, she noticed a blond male standing at the edge, staring down into a gaping hole. She approached him, standing beside the male then looked down herself. There were three Pokemon standing in triangle formation. One was yellow, one was brown and the other a clear blue. "Raikou, Entei and Suicine," the male beside her said softly, eyes fixed on the Pokemon. "They perished in this tower one hundred and fifty years ago. Why have they returned? Could Eusine possibly be correct?" He stroked his chin thoughtfully, not seeming to be aware that he had company.

"They're the legendary Pokemon?" Lyra blurted out. She couldn't believe her luck! Here she was standing in the same building! She pinched herself to make sure this wasn't a dream. The three canines were still there.

The man beside her looked surprised. "Keep your voice down; we don't want to scare them away." He looked back at the legendary canines, then turned back to face his new companion. "What is your name?"

"Lyra," she replied, timidly.

"Well, Lyra, you are seeing something truly special here. This has not happened in a very long time. For the three Pokemon to come here together… I'm sorry, I'm getting ahead of myself. I assume you have come here for a gym battle?" Cool brown eyes looked down into Lyra's own.

Lyra felt a funny tingle race down her spine. "How did you know I was here for a gym battle?"

"I haven't seen your face before so I assumed you were a trainer seeking their fourth badge. I can sense you a powerful trainer," he said calmly, eyes still boring into Lyra's own. She shuddered again, feeling a little shaken. "I am Morty-what's this?" he suddenly said, turning to the entrance. A long red-headed boy stood there, pointing a finger at Lyra. Silver again.

"I heard rumours of three powerful Pokemon in the basement of the tower, so I came here to check. I'm not surprised to see you here. Did you hope to make the legendary Pokemon yours to make you look stronger? Hah!" He sneered, spitting at the floor. "It's not going to happen, because I'm going to get them first! I'm going to be the world's greatest trainer, so a legendary Pokemon would be perfect for me."

"Your presence taints this sacred place," Morty said, turning his cool eyes on the intruder. "I ask that you leave."

"I have no quarrels with you. I'm here for _her_!" Silver declared, pointing at Lyra. "I'm getting tired of this wimp showing up everywhere I go. I challenge you to a battle, right here and right now!"

Lyra was more than eager to accept Silver's challenge when she realized she hadn't healed her Pokemon up yet. She had been so caught up admiring the scenery she had forgotten to visit the Pokemon Centre. "I'm not going to fight you, not this time." If only she had visited the Pokemon Centre first.

Silver threw his head back, cackling. "I knew it. You're scared, aren't you? You're too weak to face me so you're backing down."

Morty stepped in front of Lyra. "Allow _me_ to fight on behalf of Lyra."

"What?" Silver scoffed. "You want to defend this weakling?" He shrugged. "All right then. I'll crush you instead. Go Gastly!" A black, spherical Pokemon surrounded by a purple haze appeared. It had a wide, pink mouth with two visible fangs.

 _Gastly. With its gas-like body, it can sneak into any place it desires. However, it can be blown away by wind._

Lyra felt her eyes begin to water. She was briefly reminded of the battle against Koffing back in the Slowpoke Well, although this Gastly created more than just flu-like symptoms. She felt nauseous all of a sudden, and gripped her head to stop the room from spinning.

What happened next was just a blur. There was some shouting, some loud noises and a dash of blue. She tried to steady herself, but her knees felt weak. The Gastly in the room was making her unwell. Silver might not be battling her, but he had found a way to win still. Her knees suddenly gave way, and she fell to the floor, world fading to blackness…


	15. A Pure Heart

Thanks to Paige McCarthy for reviewing the previous chapter

 **.**

 **Chapter Fourteen: A Pure Heart**

Lyra's eyes fluttered open. She found herself staring up at a white ceiling. Groaning, she shook her head and tried to recall the events of the past few hours. But all she could remember was the sensation of falling to the ground, and a dash of blue. A blue face looked down at her. It had sharp teeth. What on earth?

Panic kicked in. She bolted upright and looked at the creature. "Oh, Toto, it's just you!" she sighed, feeling a wave of relief come over her. She lay back down on her comfortable bed, fondling the bandages on her forehead. Bandages? She sat up again, startled and confused. What had happened in the Burned Towner?

"Ah, you are awake!" She turned to face the speaker. This was a face she did not recognize. He was dressed in a purple suit with a small white cape fastened around his shoulders. "Your loyal companion came running over as soon as he was able. I've never seen a Pokemon respond so strongly before."

Lyra leaned her head against the surface of her bed, gazing at the man in confusion. "Who are you?" she asked, rubbing her head, feeling a wave of pain emanate from the injured spot.

"I am Eusine. I study legendary Pokemon. I heard the sounds of a battle coming from the Burned Tower and I came rushing over, just in time to catch a glimpse of Suicine in action. I thought I saw Suicine running on the waves. Suicine is beautiful and grand. It races through towns and roads at simply awesome speeds. It was truly an honour seeing Suicine up so close." He came towards Lyra's bed, grabbed a chair and sat down besides Croconaw.

"I barely remember…"

"You had fainted. Suicine came rushing over to defend you from the red-haired boy's attacks. Out of all the people in the room, Suicine chose to defend you. Ecruteak's legendary Pokemon are said to come to people only when they recognize their talents." He peered down at her with wonder. "I wonder why Suicine chose you of all the people… what do you have that makes you so special? Perhaps I should be more aggressive towards Suicine…"

"That's enough, Eusine!"

Eusine whipped his head around. Standing at the doorway was Morty…and a kimono girl. This girl looked familiar… but then again, the three kimono girls she had seen all looked identical. "You have returned."

"The boy is sitting in the dance hall with the other four sisters. He will not be able to leave until I grant him permission," Morty answered, striding up to Lyra's bed. He glanced down at her, concerned. "Are you all right? I have never seen anyone experience such a reaction from a Gastly before in broad daylight."

She sniffed. "My head hurts," she said flatly.

Morty's eyes lingered on the bandaid on her head. "When you fell, you hit your head pretty hard. Fortunately, Naoko was able to patch you up again. Your wound will heal itself in a few days time, but for now you'll have to wear the bandaid around your head."

She must've looked ridiculous. Here she was lying down in a bed in a dirty dress with a bandaid on her face. Other trainers were certainly going to be intimidated by her now… Not. "What happened? Eusine said Suicune protected me."

The woman named Naoko came to her side as Morty explained the situation. "Raikou and Entei fled immediately afterwards, but Suicine came rushing towards you. I do not know why though… but whatever attracted Suicine towards you, protected you from any further harm."

"I have never witnessed something so beautiful before in my life," Eusine said.

Naoko glared at the man. "Eusine, leave."

"But-"

"You heard Naoko. You have no reason to stay here anymore, Eusine. The legendary canines have fled." Morty pointed towards the door. "Pack your belongings and leave Ecruteak. Lyra needs to rest. She does not need you harassing her about Suicine." Eusine grumbled and stormed out the door.

Lyra was grateful for Morty's assistance. Eusine gave her the creeps. All that talk about Suicine was a little too much for her to bear right now. She was on a road to becoming the Champion. Now everything seemed far more complex. Why would a legendary be interested in _her?_ She wasn't anything special. She was just another trainer determined to become the best. "Why was Suicine interested in me?"

Morty shrugged. "There's something more to you than what meets the eye – I'm curious to learn more. Drop by the gym when you are feeling better. I'll be waiting for you." He stood up, exchanged looks with Naoko then left the room. Lyra was now alone with the kimono girl.

"I understand this might be overwhelming for you, but what happened just then was a historical moment," Naoko said. She paused then added more. "What Eusine had said earlier was true – legendaries only appear before people they feel are special. For Suicine to defend you in that manner is astonishing. You are a very special trainer, Lyra."

Lyra shook her head. "No way, I'm an ordinary trainer. I lost to Falkner. I almost lost to Bugsy. I lost to Whitney. I almost lost to a group of thieves."

"But you persevered and you won your battles when you could've chosen to give up your dream. What made you decide to continue?"

That was a good question. Why had she decided to continue on her journey when it was far easier to give up? She thought hard, biting her bottom lip. Her eyes rested on Toto. Of course! A smile crossed her face. "I knew I had to keep going on for my friends. My Pokemon… they believe in me. They fight even when they are at a disadvantage. I owe it to my friends to continue. Without my Pokemon, I wouldn't be where I am."

"They are the words I wanted you to say," Naoko replied, smiling. "Your bond with your Pokemon exceeds any other I have witnessed and it continues to grow with each day. Your future is a bright one, Lyra. Never lose hope. Have the courage to follow your convictions. And most importantly, never underestimate the power of love and friendship. Rest well. You will need all your strength to survive the attacks of the ghost-type Pokemon of Ecruteak. Naoko walked away without saying another word.

Lyra wanted to ask more questions, but her mind begged for sleep. She settled back down, closed her eyes, Croconaw's jaw resting on her stomach.

.

Eusine had been driven out of the city shortly afterwards visiting Lyra in the Pokemon Centre. Morty stood outside at the entrance gate to make sure the man did leave. "You are not to return to this city." In a way he felt a little disappointed – Eusine had been his best friend since the age of seven, but he had brought this upon himself. For the safety of the townsfolk and travelling trainers, it was best for Eusine to leave.

"You will regret this," Eusine said, shooting a glare in Morty's direction, after slinging his bag over his shoulder. He walked through the city gates. Morty remained in place until he was confident the man would not return. He headed back to the gym to prepare himself for the upcoming battle when his Xtransceiver rang.

"Hello, this is Morty."

"Hey there, Morty! How have you been? Why didn't you call me last night?"

Morty pulled the phone a couple of inches away from his head, as Whitney's shrill voice came through the speaker. Once she had stopped talking, he brought it back. "Something came up, that's all. Sorry Whitney." Morty wasn't sure what it was, but for some reason Whitney had taken a strong liking to him. Once the girl had decided she wanted something, she would never let go until her interest faded.

"Well, I'm sure you have a good reason."

"Why did you call?"

"There's a sweet girl coming to challenge you! She's almost as cute as me! She's quite tough. Don't let her looks deceive you, Morty."

Whitney must've been referring to Lyra. "I've already met her. She seems like a nice girl." But she didn't seem that strong. She had lost to a Gastly and Morty knew better than anyone else in the region, Gastly's weren't difficult to beat.

"She defeated me, but I know you'll beat her for me, right?"

He sighed. "Yes."

"Let me know when you've defeated her! We so need to hang out sometime! It's been what, like four weeks since we last caught up? Anyway, hope to see you soon, Morty!" Whitney hung up. Morty needed to consult with some of the other guys to find a way to get Whitney to stop liking him. Why couldn't the girl chase after someone like Falkner or Bugsy? Falker was patient enough to deal with her and Bugsy was her equal in terms of being an irritation.

He put the Xtransceiver away and sat down cross-legged on the floor, closing his eyes to calm the mind. Whenever he felt stressed, he meditated. Morty's meditation sessions often involved entering the Spirit World which was an ability that only skilled ghost-type trainers could use. The realm had its dangers, but Morty knew how to handle it. He was, after all, the best ghost-type trainer Johto had to offer.

.

When she woke up, she found someone else standing in her room. Naoko was standing there holding a pink pokeball in her hand. Lyra was feeling a little better now – the sharp pain in her head had long since disappeared. She could still feel some pain though, but it was tolerable and barely noticeable. "Good morning," she chirped.

"Lyra, is it good to see you in better spirits. How are you feeling?"

"Better." She sat up, eyes locking on the pink pokeball. "What is that?"

Naoko smiled. "This is a gift from my sisters and I. I sent one of the girls to pick it up from Goldenrod so you would not have to walk all the way back." She handed the ball to Lyra. "This ball contains an Eevee who has been raised by the Goldenrod day-care couple. Eevee's have the ability to evolve into five different evolutions here In Johto: Vaporean, a water-type. Jolteon, an electric-type. Flareon, the fire-type. Those evolutions can only be obtained by using an elemental evolution stone."

Lyra already had a water-type so she didn't need a Vaporean. She also had Growlithe rendering Flareon as useless. Jolteon sounded interesting though - an electric-type would be useful to have on the team. But Naoko had said there were five in total. "What are the other two?"

"Umbreon, the dark-type or Espeon, the psychic-type. These evolutions are obtained through happiness. Espeon evolves only during the day, while Umbreon evolves during the night when peak happiness is reached. Which evolution will you aim for?"

A psychic-type. A Pokemon of that type would be useful to have. With the exception of her Growlithe, her team was a physical-based one. Another special attacker would benefit her greatly and provide some much needed balance. "Espeon."

The woman smiled. "A wise choice. Morty is waiting for you at the gym now. Go now, and move one step closer to your goal. But before you go, take this attack potion I found lying to the east of here. This is Shadow Claw." Lyra accepted the dark purple liquid and placed it in her bag. "Good luck, Lyra." The woman left the room and once again Lyra found herself alone. She didn't feel at one hundred percent health yet, but she didn't want to delay further.

She swung her legs over the side of the bed and immediately headed out to the front to collect the rest of her Pokemon. Before leaving the Pokemon Centre though, she placed her Paras in the storage box of the pc. "Sorry Paras," she said. "But I don't have room for you on my final team." Speaking of the egg, she felt it twitch in her bag.

Putting her bag on the ground, she unzipped it and found the egg rocking back and forth gently. It was getting closer to hatching. It would probably be only a matter of days before it opened. She zipped her bag up again and headed towards Poke Mart to purchase some much need supplies. She grabbed a little bit of everything, before leaving the building. Now she was ready to take on the gym challenge.

"Hey there, trainer! Ready to give it your best shot and claim the Fog Badge from Morty? Here's some advice for you – Ghost Pokemon are immune to normal-types, but normal-types are immune from ghost-type moves. So if you want to win, use a normal-type and teach it a powerful dark or psychic move. All the best, trainer!"

She thanked the advisor and stepped off the red carpet, setting foot on the stony path before her. This gym was rather dark and she suspected that is was purposefully designed that way to make the place feel more authentic. It was like walking into a haunted house. The only source of light came from the candles that were strategically positioned around the gym. It was also somewhat foggy inside - a haze spread throughout the gym, adding more the haunting feel of the place. She kept on expecting a ghost to appear in the haze.

Cautiously, she walked through the purple haze, keeping her hands outstretched before just in case she accidentally walked into someone… or something. The sounds of maddened laughter echoed throughout the gym, causing the hairs on her arms to stand erect. Creepy.

"Is that fear I smell?"

Lyra froze upon hearing a nasally voice. She looked left and right but found no one in this haze. This was getting stranger with each passing second. Where was that voice coming from? She could hear but could not see.

"Gastly, use Mean Look!"

She turned around. Two wide eyes looked down at her through the purple haze. Lyra screamed.

"There is no escape. Fight me!"

 _Get a grip,_ Lyra, she scolded herself, reaching down for the pink pokeball. This is not a haunted house, remember? This is a gym, she added. She threw a pokeball into the haze. Eevee appeared. The Pokemon was already on a reasonably high level, almost equal to her first four, but she had no experience at all. Eevee ran back to Lyra, her long ears standing erect.

"Eevee…" the fennec fox Pokemon whimpered.

Normal-types were immune to ghost-types – that's what the advisor and Naoko had said. Eevee was Lyra's best weapon against the horrors of Ecruteak Gym. But how was she going to win a battle with an inexperienced Eevee? "Eevee, use Shadow Claw!" At the mention of the technical move, Eevee jumped into action.

Her body emitted a purple glow. Eevee leapt forward and struck the Gastly in the face. The Gastly's full form revealed itself, and Lyra noticed it was only floating a few feet away, in front of its owner. The trainer was some old lady which surprised Lyra. "Gastly, use Lick!"

A long pink tongue flicked out of the Gastly's mouth, slowly sliding up Eevee's face. Eevee cringed, and shook her body, removing the saliva sticking off her fur coat. Fortunately, the attack did no damage at all to Eevee. "Use Shadow Claw again, Eevee!" Eevee's moveset wasn't exactly a great one – Tackle, Tail Whip and Sand-Attack all of which did nothing against the ghost-type. Shadow Claw was her only weapon.

Eevee lunged forward again, striking the Gastly in the face. An eerie scream left the Gastly's mouth, the gaseous aura around it disappearing as the Pokemon fell to the ground. Another Gastly replaced the fainted one. Lyra repeated her attacks – Shadow Claw after Shadow Claw until all five Gastly's were defeated.

Eevee looked stronger already and more confident, holding her furry tail high up in the air, as the Eevee ventured further into the purple haze. She moved so quietly, that if Lyra hadn't been keeping a good close eye on her, she would've lost the Eevee in the gym. It wasn't long before she encountered the next couple of ghost-type Pokemon.

Two disembodied hands reached out towards her, three pointed fingers attempting to grab her. Lyra jumped out of the way, managing to avoid the attack. She held up her Pokedex towards the floating Pokemon.

 _Haunter. The second evolution of Gastly. In total darkness, where nothing is visible, Haunter lurks, silently stalking its next victim._

Scary. "Eevee!" she called. "Use Shadow Claw!" Eevee took a running jump and leapt into the air, clawing at the Haunter. The Haunter howled.

"Haunter, use Hypnosis!" Oh no. Not that dreaded attack again. Unfortunately, her Eevee failed to get away from the beam and fell asleep immediately, curled up into a ball, her head resting on her tail.

Lyra dug through her bag as the Haunter drifted closer. "Come on… I know I bought a few Awakenings…" she muttered, digging around her bag, searching for the light blue liquid bottle. There! She grabbed it and rushed over to her sleeping Eevee, kneeling down besides her. Carefully, Lyra opened the Eevee's mouth and poured a bit of the liquid down her throat. Eevee murmured, swallowing the liquid. A few seconds later, the Eevee's eyes opened.

"Haunter, use Hypnosis again!"

"Dodge it, Eevee!" Eevee leapt out of the way this time, throwing her body across the floor. "Use Shadow Claw!" Eevee jumped into the air and swiped the Haunter's underbelly. The gaseous aura disappeared. Another Haunter replaced it. _Not again,_ thought Lyra. She wasn't sure how many more times Eevee could use Shadow Claw before she fainted from exertion.

"Hypnosis!"

"Shadow Claw!"

The same cycle repeated until the Haunter fainted. Eevee was now looking rather tired. She paused every couple of steps to catch her breath. "Just one more battle Eevee then we'll head back to the Pokemon Centre." They continued moving forward through the purple haze when another Haunter appeared.

"Sucker Punch!"

Eevee was sent upwards into the air from a strong punch from the Haunter. "Eevee!" Lyra called, rushing forward to catch her flying Eevee. Eevee cried, wriggling her legs frantically searching for ground. Lyra dove with arms outstretched, managing to catch her Eevee safely. Unfortunately for Lyra though, she sustained an injury in the process. Both her arms had suffered painful grazes, deep enough to cause blood to leak.

Cringing, Lyra forced herself to move forward. This was part of her mental training. She had a feeling Morty would use the natural gases of his ghost-type Pokemon to lower her physical resistance. She had to be strong. "Shadow Claw!" Eevee struck hard, landing a lucky critical blow. The Haunter howled. It fought back with Confuse Ray, but Eevee was not affected. "Use Shadow Claw again!" And so Eevee obeyed once more, launching herself upwards into the sky to attack the Haunter. Haunter was struck hard, just enough to cause it to faint.

Judging from the previous two gyms, Lyra suspected there was at least one more trainer waiting. And she was right. An elderly lady stood by a torch. Three Ghost Pokemon floated behind her. One Haunter and two Gastly's. Triple battle time. To support her Eevee, Lyra brought out Gabite and Bagon, both of which had Bite in their movepool.

"Eevee, Shadow Claw! Bagon, use Bite! Gabite, use Dragon Rage!"

"Haunter, use Night Shade!"

All the lights in the gym suddenly died, leaving Lyra and her team standing in complete darkness. It was unsettling. Just then, her Bagon suddenly let out a pained roar. Whatever had happened Lyra couldn't tell because she couldn't see anything. But it didn't sound good.

"Gastly's, use Night Shade on the Gabite."

Not being able to see what was happening made Lyra nervous. Her Pokemon were still standing – she could hear their breaths – but for how much longer? Lyra issued her next three attacks – Shadow Claw, Bite and Dragon Rage again. The Gastly's must have fainted because she heard the old lady complain, but the Haunter still remained and managed to knock out her Gabite. Eevee didn't look like she had another Shadow Claw in her and Bagon looked ready to collapse.

She withdrew her two Pokemon and brought out Staravia and Growlithe instead. Growlithe also knew Bite so she still had the chance of winning the battle – if the Haunter didn't take her out first. "Use Night Shade, Haunter!" And just like that, her Growlithe was taken out of the battle.

"Wing Attack, Staravia!"

Fortunately, the Haunter had sustained heavy damage from Eevee's Shadow Claw and the Pokemon fainted. Lyra wiped her brow, sighing with relief. That was too close. But now half her team were unfit to battle. She had to go all the way back to the start again otherwise set herself up for a humiliating lost against Morty. She didn't want to appear weak in front of him again – fainting due to Silver's Gastly had been embarrassing enough. She was not going to let that happen again.

So she walked all the way back through complete darkness, relying on her sense of feel to guide her safely through. Eventually, she reached the entrance, feeling a great surge of relief sweep through her. Stepping out of the darkness made her feel happier. Somehow, just being in the sunlight improved her mood vastly. She made her way to the Pokemon Centre again to heal up. Once that was done, she returned to the gym.

.

Morty greeted Lyra with a bow. "Our introduction was cut short before so allow me to reintroduce myself again to you. My name is Morty, and I am the gym leader of Ecruteak City. It's said that a rainbow-hued Pokemon will come down to appear before a truly powerful trainer. I believed that tale, so I have secretly trained here all my life with my ghost-type Pokemon. As a result, I can now see what others cannot. I see a shadow of the person who will make the Pokemon appear. I believe that person is me! You're going to help me reach that level, Lyra."

Lyra winced, a sharp pain exploding in her head. She rubbed the sore spot, clenching her jaw. _Not now,_ she thought. Why did the pain have to start just when she was about to face her most difficult opponent yet? She brought out her Eevee to start the battle. Morty brought out a Gastly. _Not too bad,_ Lyra thought. She was quite the expert in battling Gastly's now.

"Use Shadow Claw, Eevee!"

"So you have come prepared… it won't be enough to gain you victory however," Morty replied. "Gastly, use Mean Look!" Gastly glared. Eevee shuddered. "There's no escape for you now, Lyra."

The attack didn't seem to do anything. Eevee struck Gastly and knocked it out with one critical hit. She did not celebrate though – that seemed far too easy. She looked at Morty trying to determine what he was thinking. He did not seem too bothered at all that his Gastly had fainted. He summoned his next Pokemon, a Haunter.

Lyra was beginning to feel this was going to be her easiest battle yet. Eevee could take them all on with ease. All she had to do was ensure that Eevee's moves always hit and the Fog Badge would be hers! "Haunter, use Hypnosis," Morty stated calmly, arms crossed over his chest.

Eevee tried to dodge the beams but failed and was sent to sleep. Lyra dug through her bag searching for another Awakening but found she didn't have any more. She had mistakenly purchased some Antidotes instead. "Eevee, return!" Lyra threw her pokeball to return the sleeping Eevee, but the ball bounced off. "What? I don't understand…"

"Mean Look prevents your Pokemon from escaping during the battle," Morty explained. "Haunter, use Dream Eater!" Haunter swooped down and opened its mouth, looking like it was going to devour her Eevee. Lyra wanted to rush out and protect her Eevee, but there was nothing she could do but watch in horror as the Haunter placed its hands on Eevee's head. Eevee convulsed violently. This was not an evolutionary process but rather the horrific process of a Pokemon having their dreams invaded.

Eevee screamed, thrashing violently in her sleep. "Stop! Stop it now!" Lyra pleaded.

Morty lifted a brow. "Relax, it'll be over soon."

"Please! You're hurting her!" Froth had begun to develop around Eevee's mouth. "No!" she screamed, rushing forward. She dropped down besides her Eevee, throwing her arms over her newest friend protectively. "Stay away!"

"Haunter, pull back," Morty commanded. The Haunter released its grip on Eevee and returned to stand at its master's side. "Welcome to the world of Ghost-type Pokemon battles. Battling against ghosts is unlike anything else – the Pokemon feed on your fear. Fear adds to their power."

Lyra looked up at him through angry eyes, tenderly stroking her Eevee. The poor fox was trembling. "And you think that is what will bring the Pokemon you are waiting for back?"

Morty withdrew his Haunter and summoned another Pokemon she didn't recognize. It was menacing. She shuddered, not from fear, but rather from a sudden chill. She felt so cold she wished she had a jacket on. Wrapping her arms around her body, she stared up at the fearsome creature. Red mischievous eyes stared down on her. Lyra gulped, feeling a bubble of nerves stir in her stomach. It just looked so… evil. Like a creature from her worst nightmare.

 _Gengar. The final evolution of Gastly. It steals heat from its surroundings. If you feel a sudden chill, it is certain that a Gengar appeared._

"Yes, I believe I have what it takes to bring the rainbow Pokemon back to Ecruteak City."

Lyra refused to move from her Eevee's side. "Then I refuse to continue the battle with you."

That caught him by surprise. "What?"

She stood up, cradling her frightened Eevee. "I won't battle. Not like this. It's obvious I don't stand a chance against you."

"You can't seriously be thinking of quitting in the middle of a battle. You won't get your badge."

"I value the lives of my Pokemon above any badge," Lyra replied. "If I have to forfeit the battle, I will do so if it means my Pokemon get to live to fight another day."

Morty's stance relaxed. "I can see why Suicine chose to protect you. You're different from other trainers. I've never seen anyone protect their Pokemon the way you just did." He recalled his Gengar back to its ball. "Very well, I will allow you to forfeit this match."

"Thank you," she said then turned back to her Eevee. "I'm sorry that I had to forfeit the match… but I couldn't stand by and watch you suffer like that." She bit her bottom lip. "I guess my journey ends here then. I won't be able to go any further without this badge." She sniffed, fighting back tears. Turning around, she headed back towards the entrance.

.

Lyra slowly made her way to the entrance gate of Ecruteak City, hanging her head low. Forfeiting the battle seemed like a cowardly way of doing things. It was not the way of a trainer. Her six Pokemon remained in their pokeballs – Lyra couldn't bear to see the disappointment on their faces. She had failed them as a trainer. Failed them as a friend by giving up so easily.

"Lyra? Where are you going?" a voice called out from behind. Lyra turned around to find Naoko walking up towards her, a concerned expression on her face.

"I'm going home," Lyra responded softly, without looking into the woman's eyes. "I forfeited the match. I just couldn't stand by and watch my Pokemon suffer like that. The pain in Eevee's eyes… it was heartbreaking." Now she lifted her head.

"It takes something truly special to make that decision," the Kimono Girl said, the corners of her mouth curving upwards into a smile. "You are very brave, Lyra."

She gave a bitter laugh. "It doesn't matter. My journey is over. I didn't get the badge. I don't deserve the badge. Whoever heard of a trainer giving up in the middle of a battle?"

Naoko opened her mouth to respond, but was interrupted by a local citizen, rushing towards them with a panic-stricken expression. "Naoko! Quickly! There's trouble at the dance hall! Some thief has stolen the Surf potion!"

"Oh my, quickly, Lyra. Come with me to the dance hall. We will need your assistance!"

"But-"

Naoko grabbed her arm and dragged Lyra away towards a colourful pagoda before the girl could continue her protests. Up on the stage floor there was a Team Rocket grunt holding a bottle above his head. "Hah! This was far too easy! I didn't even have to try hard to obtain this move from the old man there in the audience!" he jeered.

"Return the bottle. It is not yours to take," Naoko said.

The grunt turned to face Lyra. His confident smirk faded. "Oh no, it's you again."

Now Lyra recognized him. He was one of the grunts she had battled against back in Azalea Town. The stocky one with the big mouth. Before Lyra could open her mouth, Morty burst in through the doors. He looked to Lyra, then to the grunt then back to Lyra again. "What's going on here? Team Rocket?"

"If you want that bottle, come and fight me for it!" He challenged, throwing a glance in Lyra's direction.

Morty stepped forward to take the battle, but Naoko shook her head. "This is Lyra's battle. Go on, Lyra. Defeat this member of Team Rocket. Show him what it means to be a real trainer." Could she battle again so soon after forfeiting the match with Morty? She didn't feel like it, but Naoko has asked her to. Refusing felt wrong, especially when the kimono girl had placed so much trust in her by giving her an Eevee.

Lyra stepped up to battle. "You will return that bottle to the rightful owner."

"You won't beat me this time – my brothers were holding me back the last time we met." He threw out a pokeball, and Lyra was surprised to notice he only had one this time. Had his bosses been that upset they had taken his Pokemon back? "Get her, Koffing!"

Not a Koffing. Lyra remembered the last time she fought a Koffing. Not a fun experience. Fortunately, this Koffing was rather frail looking. "Toto! Use Ice Fang!" All it took was one powerful strike and the Koffing went down.

The boy dropped to his knees. "Not again!"

"The bottle. Please return it to the old man in the audience," Naoko ordered. A man wearing a brown suit and matching hat, walked up to the stage to collect his bottle. He was obviously of some importance because he was wearing a business tie. Trainers didn't wear ties, not did the average person. The Team Rocket grunt returned the bottle then bolted out of the room.

"Thank you!" the old man said, giving Lyra a handshake. "For your efforts, I would like to give you this bottle containing Surf, but you need to have obtained the Fog Badge."

"Oh," Lyra's face fell, crestfallen. "I have no need for it. I'm returning home. I forfeited."

"If there's anyone that deserves the Fog Badge, it's you, Lyra," said Morty, stepping towards her. He held out his hand revealing the Fog Badge lying on his palm. Lyra lifted her brows, surprised. Was he actually going to give her the badge? "For a long time I thought I was the trainer the legendary Pokemon were looking for… but you've shown me that you are the one. Here, take the Fog Badge."

Lyra shook her head, waving her hands. "I can't take this badge… I didn't earn it."

"Suicine chose to protect you, Lyra."

"But… I forfeited…"

"You put your own safety at risk to protect your Eevee from my Haunter."

"But don't the rules state that a gym leader is to concede the badge when they've been beaten?"

Morty laughed. "Are you trying to convince me not to give you the badge? Suicine chose you – that's good enough reason for me to give you the badge. You're an interesting girl, Lyra. I'd like to get to know you better." He pulled out a pen and a paper, and scribbled down his number. "Here, give me a call before you reach Victory Road. We can settle the score then..."

She took the badge and placed it with her other ones. It didn't feel right taking it – she felt like a fake, but Morty insisted. "All right then…"

"You should rest up. You've got a long road ahead of you. I'm going to head back to the gym and start training for our rematch. See you around, Lyra!" Morty said his goodbyes and left the Dance Hall, leaving Lyra with Naoko. Her dream in becoming the Champion was still well and truly alive.


	16. Reflections

The next few chapters are kinda filler chapters and are relatively short. They're for pacing purposes. Thanks to mestwendyfan for the review!

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 **Chapter Fifteen: Reflections**

Something was terribly wrong. At this time of the year, the Lake of Rage would be alive with Magikarp and Gyarados, but now it was deathly quiet, as if the Pokemon no longer called this place home. But that couldn't be right. There was no way for the Pokemon to leave unless someone air lifted them out. So, why was it so quiet? Even the pine trees surrounding the lake were absent of noise. Highly unusual.

Lance stood at the edge of the lake, searching for some sign of life, but found nothing at all. Not even a ripple. Lowering himself down to the ground, he stuck a hand into the water and immediately withdrew it. The water was warm. Very warm. "Most fisherman prefer to use rods to catch fish," said a gruff voice behind him. Lance turned around.

A tall old man wearing a dark blue coat, walked slowly towards him, a white scarf wrapped around his neck. He was supported by his walking stick. He was known as the Winter Trainer, but gym leaders and other seasoned trainers, referred to him by his name, Pryce. He had earned the title the Winter Trainer because he specialized with the ice-type Pokemon.

He was a good friend of Lance's grandfather and a well-respected person of the community. Quite a number of trainers stopped being professional trainers when they reached thirty, choosing to settle down with families and apply for other professions instead. But a minority of trainers chose to stick with their professions until the day they died. Pryce was one of them. He had spent over fifty years as a trainer. He was a true veteran of Pokemon battles. He commanded the same amount of respect as the Elder did – even Lance dared not to get on this man's bad side.

"Pryce, it's good to see you again," Lance greeted, bowing his head, as a sign of respect.

"Champion." The man nodded. "I didn't realize you were interesting in becoming a fisherman. I must say, the Lake of Rage is certainly a strange place to practice your technique."

Lance rolled his eyes. Pryce had a strange sense of humour. "I didn't come here to fish for Magikarp, Pryce. I came here hoping to find some answers."

"I thought you'd be busy with the league… or are there no challengers arriving on your door step? I guess your cousin is doing a sound job of making sure no one passes through Blackthorn."

"That is her number one hobby – crushing the hopes and dreams of trainers," Lance replied. "She keeps a list of all the trainers she defeats just so she can brag about them to me when I come to visit. She seems to find it highly amusing preventing trainers from reaching the league." It was rare moments like these he wished he was a gym leader again. At least gym leaders actually got to face trainers quite frequently in comparison to a member of the league. It got a little boring sometimes. He looked at the lake. "I trust my grandfather told you about Team Rocket's return?

Pryce's eyes followed Lance's gaze, resting on the calm crystalline waters of the lake. He rubbed his chin, looking thoughtful. "Yes, he has. Is that why you have come here?"

"I was playing around with the radio when I was in Azalea Town, and I came across an unknown station. There was no commentary or anything, just a bizarre beeping noise. A few moments later, a trainer comes rushing in, telling us his young Rattata had evolved. I have a feeling that somehow Team Rocket is behind it." He turned to the right, facing Pryce who was now standing beside him. "Is it possible that Team Rocket have tampered with a radio signal to force Pokemon to evolve?"

Pryce nodded. "It is possible, though they would need a radio transmitter of their own." He frowned suddenly. "That would explain why that man Archer was so interested in purchasing the former ninja hideout… I told my wife Sheila he was not to be trusted."

"Archer?" Where had he heard that name before? Wait. Now he remembered. The two grunts in the forest near Azalea Town had mentioned the name. "I've heard that name. He's the leader of the newly reformed Team Rocket. You said he was interested in purchasing the former ninja hideout?"

Pryce nodded again. "He arrived in Mahogany Town just a couple of months ago, requesting to open a shop there," he replied, readjusting his scarf. "He claimed he had a shipment of special potions to sell to the people of Johto. Mahogany Town is struggling financially as you are probably aware of so my wife convinced me to allow Archer to set up a shop."

"What sort of products?"

"He arrived with empty crates, but gave us a large sum of money, promising the full crates would come in a few weeks time. He invited me over for tea one night and talked business with me. He said it was his life's goal to help trainers become stronger. He told me he had discovered a formula for a potion that could make Pokemon immensely powerful, but that it would take a bit of time to get it together hence the empty creates." He rubbed his chin, troubled. "I asked him why Mahogany - and he told me he wanted to live close to the lake."

Strange. Sure, the Lake of Rage was rather nice to look at, but Mahogany wasn't exactly the region's most popular location. It was a small place – very few trainers ever reached the town, and the place held little appeal for tourists. There was nothing to do here other than challenge the gym or take the long trail to the Lake of Rage. Some people were actually scared to visit the lake because of the volatile Gyarados that made their homes here. "Did Archer say anything else?"

Pryce cleared his throat. "He said he had heard of me. We talked a bit about my history as a trainer and other such things, but he was mostly interested in my thoughts about Pokemon evolution. He asked me if I ever wished I could evolve my Pokemon early so they could be stronger earlier on – I told him I would only want my Pokemon to evolve when they were ready for it. He disagreed, but said he respected my opinion," Pryce continued, turning to look at the lake. "A few days later, he asked me again if I had the chance to evolve my Pokemon early, would I take it?"

"And what was your answer?"

"I told him no a second time. It's not natural and therefore it isn't right." Pryce looked sideways. "I still don't agree with what you did either, Lance. I might be old, but I haven't forgotten how you forced your Pokemon to evolve. You forced your two Dratini to evolve into Dragonairs, and your Dragonair into a Dragonite by placing your life at risk."

Lance gave a derisive snort. "I was young at the time." He didn't like being reminded of those years. In fact, he tried very hard to forget. When his grandfather had found out, he had been furious for months. He pulled Lance out of the Blackthorn Gym and gave the rights to Clair, hoping she would not make the same mistake.

Lance had earned his grandfather's respect a couple of months later when he was accepted into the Elite Four, but it took a lot of effort to win it back. Every weekend he would spend hours studying the ways of a Dragon Master so he could win back the respect and trust of the Elder. It took some time, but he finally passed the test. Was it because of this incident his grandfather didn't foresee him defeating Team Rocket in his visions? Is this why the man seemed disappointed in him? The last conversation with the man had not ended on a positive note.

"And you still are – you might be in your early twenties now, but you are still a child to me."

Lance couldn't argue with that. After all, Pryce was well into his sixties. "I needed to beat you to be accepted into the Elite Four. I didn't see any other option at the time."

"You could have waited instead of trying to pick a fight with that Aerodactyl."

"I didn't want to wait," he said dryly.

"And three years after Blue's defeat, you pulled the same stunt again, forcing your two Dragonairs to evolve into Dragonites," Pryce pointed out. He turned his head to the left, pointing towards Mt. Mortar. "You and I had a battle because you wanted to practice against your weaknesses. You were close to losing, so you decided to try and throw yourself off the cliff's edge just so your Dragonairs would evolve to save you."

Lance's mouth tightened. "I'm not proud of what I did back then, Pryce. I try hard to forget. I hope you haven't told anyone else?"

Pryce shook his head. "No, I kept it to myself. Only your grandfather knows though he tries very hard to forget. As far as everyone else is concerned, your Pokemon evolved early because they responded to your strength. I could see your determination to make it to the end and I didn't want to ruin that for you, even though I disagreed with your methods. I'm sure you have learnt your lesson now though?"

Lance nodded. "Of course." He remembered the rogue Raticate back in the forest near Azalea Town. "Forcing a Pokemon to evolve is wrong. It should never happen."

"I'm glad that you understand that." Pryce turned to look at him again. "If Team Rocket is using the radio transmitter to force Pokemon to evolve… That explains why they wanted to purchase that specific building." His brows knotted in anger. "We are a small town with a tiny population, the perfect place for dangerous ideas to be turned into action. How many people would even know about their hideout? Hardly any." Pryce appeared to be talking more to himself than Lance now.

If Team Rocket were using the Pokemon in the Lake of Rage to test their experiments… was it possible they had brought the stolen Shiny Dratini here as well? "I have to put a stop to them."

"And how do you propose to do that? Team Rocket's base will be heavily guarded."

Lance glared. "I'd rather do something than do nothing at all."

"You need a plan, Lance. Do not be so reckless. You can't go down there alone."

"Come with me."

Pryce shook his head. "I can't. Not yet."

"And why not?"

"Whitney called earlier. She said a strong trainer called Lyra was on her way to the league. I am interested in seeing this trainer with my own eyes – I will not leave Mahogany Town until I meet her. I'll send her to accompany you into the Team Rocket Headquarters."

Lyra had defeated Whitney? Even Lance knew that was a hard task to accomplish. "You would willingly send an unproven trainer with me into Team Rocket's Headquarters? Don't you think that is a little rash?" Lance said, trying to hold back a surge of jealousy. This was _his_ task to complete – not Lyra's. How was he ever going to prove himself if that chance kept on getting taken away from him?

"If she can make it to Mahogany Town, then she is a trainer who is capable enough of handling Team Rocket. If she prevails, I will allow her to challenge me for the seventh badge. If she fails, then you can handle the task on your own," Pryce replied calmly. "Do not forget, this is my territory – Mahogany Town and the Lake of Rage are _my_ responsibility, not yours."

Lance withheld a bitter response. So now he was going to have to wait for Lyra to reach the small town before he act accordingly. "This is a bad idea. We should act now." The Pokemon in the lake were suffering in silence! And he was just standing here doing nothing while he waited for Lyra to arrive. Would the girl even make it? The ocean between Olivine and Cianwood was known to turn nasty at any moment. She would need those two badges to reach Mahogany.

"Do not be so impatient."

"What if she doesn't make it? What then? We could be facing a real problem if all the Magikarp are forced to evolve into Gyarados'."

Pryce looked at Lance, and sighed. "I'm holding you back for your own good, Lance. You may not believe that reason, but you will see in time. It is a risk I am willing to take. My decision is final. You _will_ wait otherwise I will notify the board members of the league to remove you as Champion. Once I tell them about your… forced evolution methods… they will revoke your title immediately."

Lance couldn't believe this. Pryce was _threatening_ him? "You never liked me much, did you?"

Pryce's calm eyes bore into Lance's own. "Untrue," he said softly. "You have earned my respect, but I don't believe you have what it takes to defeat Team Rocket." He turned around and started making his way back to Mahogany Town. "I will be returning to the gym. You can stay at my house – my wife will look after you," he said, glancing briefly over his shoulder. "I'm warning you, do _not_ test me."

If Pryce hadn't been a friend of his grandfather's, Lance would've just gone ahead and taken on Team Rocket himself. But he couldn't risk bringing the Elder's wrath upon his head again. The man was already disappointed in him. He had no other choice but to wait.

.

He felt like an animal in a cage whose only purpose was to be watched by others. Sheila never took her eyes off him – the aging lady watched him like a hawk. If he was watching television, she would make sure to sit right next to him. If he was eating, she would also eat. If he wanted to take a walk, she would come with him or send one of her grandchildren too. If he was in any other town or city, the gym leaders would let him to what he wanted, but Pryce wasn't like the rest.

"Pryce knows what he is doing, Lance. He has been around long enough to make these decisions," Sheila said, giving him a pot of some green tea. Lance glanced down at it – he wasn't a tea drinker. He didn't even drink coffee. But he was a guest and it would be rude not to accept. "He is looking out for you."

She pushed back a strand of greying hair behind her right ear, watching him with interest. For the first few weeks they had talked about the recent events involving Team Rocket, but the topic had gotten old now. Sheila preferred to talk about other topics such as her grandchildren. Lance, on the other hand, cared only about Team Rocket.

"But the Magikarp… if Team Rocket forces them to evolve…"

Sheila pointed at his tea. "Drink your tea."

He realized he hadn't even touched it once and the pot had been sitting there for at least half an hour now. Curling his fingers around the handle, he lifted it up and tipped the snout into his cup, emptying the contents of the pot. "If Team Rocket's experiment works we could be facing a region wide disaster. Pokemon all over Johto will evolve."

"Your tea, Lance."

He quickly took a sip, cringing at the taste. "Archer will have his army. He'll have enough Pokemon to take over Johto and Kanto. With Team Rocket in charge, there will be no need for badges, gyms and the league. We'd all become slaves to Archer."

"I doubt it will come down to that," she said softly, grabbing his tea pot to refill it. "Evil never triumphs. We all thought the Slowpoke down at the Slowpoke Well were doomed, but a girl called Lyra stepped in and chased off Team Rocket."

He almost choked on his tea. He couldn't recall ever mentioning the incident at the Slowpoke Well, and he certainly never brought up Lyra's role in fighting Team Rocket. "How did you know…"

"Kurt called. He shared the good news with us." She walked over to the cupboard, opened it and pulled out a blue tin of choc-chip biscuits. "Would you like some biscuits?"

He was becoming increasingly agitated. It didn't seem like Sheila was too concerned with the events happening around them. "Are you listening to me?" he demanded, becoming frustrated with Sheila's apparent lack of interest.

Sheila placed the blue tin on the table and removed the lid. "I hear every word you are speaking, but you are making matters out far worse than what they actually are. The Slowpoke Well was cleansed of their evil. Team Rocket will be removed from their base here in Mahogany Town as well. It will happen in due time."

Lance laughed sardonically. "In due time…"

"What is really troubling you? Why are you so eager to get so heavily involved in all of this?" Sheila said, sitting across from Lance. She pushed the tin towards him, motioning for him to eat. "They're home-made. You won't find them anywhere else."

"It's my duty," he replied flatly, taking one of the biscuits. "I'm the Champion now. It's what people expect of me." It's what I expect of myself, he silently added. "If I can't do this… I shouldn't be called a Champion," he added bitterly.

"A Champion is just a title, Lance. It does not mean you have to be everyone's hero. Blue was a Champion at one point, wasn't he? And what did he do to protect the region?" Lance didn't say anything. Blue had been quite a useless Champion now that he thought about it. Sure, he travelled the region but that was only to stop Red from ever reaching the league. Sheila continued. "He did nothing. I'm not saying you will follow in Blue's footsteps, but each Champion has their own role to play. Some will be rise to be heroes and others are content being at the top."

Was he destined to be one of the Champions that failed to contribute anything good to society? Was he destined to fail in achieving his goals? If he couldn't be a hero, if he couldn't be a Champion… then what was he in this world? Just another trainer with an above average skill set? It was a depressing thought. "Then what am I supposed to do? Sit here and do nothing?"

"You have to decide that yourself."

Lance looked glumly out the window. It was a fine day for now, but there were storm clouds gathering in the distance. Will had said destiny could not be changed no matter how hard he tried. No matter what path he took, the end would always be the same. And for him, that meant failing to defeat Team Rocket. The Elder had wanted him to promise he would always look out for Lyra. Was that his destiny? To keep an eye on her for the remainder of his years?

"You still have a lot to offer to the world, Lance," she said softly, studying him intently.

"It just doesn't involve stopping Team Rocket though, does it?" he said glumly.

"Is that all that matters to you?"

"Ever since I learnt about the Slowpoke trouble, it's all I could think about. I wanted to be the trainer responsible for saving them." He averted his gaze from the window and looked down at the table. "To learn that someone else had… it's made me question my own self-worth. To have my grandfather tell me I'm incapable of stopping Team Rocket…"

The woman looked at him, her eyes filled with sympathy. "Life doesn't always turn out the way you want it to be. Pryce told you to wait for Lyra, did he not?" A teasing grin crossed her face, and she winked at him. "Perhaps your path lies with her."

He looked up, confused. "What do you mean?" Surely, Sheila couldn't be insinuating that his future involved her _romantically_? No girl had ever captured his interest, so why would Lyra be any different?

"Whenever trouble rears its ugly head, you find yourself drawn to it. And from what you have told me, Lyra seems to be drawn to it as well. The Slowpoke Well, the rogue Raticate in the forest, the bullying thief... and now this." A smile crossed her face. "These are signs, Lance."

"Signs of what? That she will defeat me and claim the title?" he replied, attempting humour but failing to conceal the edge in his voice.

Sheila was still smiling. "They are signs things are about to drastically change here in Johto. It would be unwise to fight against it."

He didn't say anything, choosing to remain silent instead. Had his grandfather always known this change was going to happen eventually? Was that why he was determined to keep Clair out of this Team Rocket business because he didn't want her intervening? Had he chosen to send him to investigate the Slowpoke Well on purpose _knowing_ that Lyra was going to be the to solve the problem all along? So many questions yet he had no answers for them, but it would explain why his grandfather had wanted him to promise he'd look out for the girl.

What else did the Elder know? What else had his visions told him? How far into the future had the man seen? Was that why the Dragon's Den quiz had been created? Confusing thoughts arose in his mind. For his entire life, he had assumed the special quiz had been made to prove he was a true Dragon Master; someone who had specialised in mastering the art of capturing, training and raising dragons.

But now that he thought hard about it, he realized the test had nothing to do with being a Dragon Master. The test was designed to not only test how strong a bond was between trainer and Pokemon, but the trainer's capacity to judge people fairly and love unconditionally. Had the test been created to specifically determine if Lance was capable of being Lyra's guardian, to be her protector in times of darkness? It would explain why his grandfather had been so determined to ensure he passed his special quiz. He had seen in a vision Lance's path involved Lyra, and he worked hard to instil good values in his grandson's head.

That explained why he forgave him about the forced evolution episodes. He believed he could atone for those past mistakes by being a better person. And in his grandfather's visions, becoming a better person meant getting involved in Lyra's life. He had become so distracted by his own thoughts he was unaware Sheila was still talking.

"…your title does not define who you are as a person. Just because your title is Champion of Johto and Kanto, it does not mean you are portraying the qualities of what is required in that role. Never let your title go to your head and prevent you from learning and growing, and never feel you must act a certain way to meet people's expectations."

Lance nodded to show he had been listening, and not dozing off. "Sound advice."

She smiled. "Have as many as you like," she said, pointing to the biscuit tin.

Lance didn't feel hungry at all, but he had one anyway. They certainly did look quite appetizing. He took a bite out of one of the choc-chip biscuits. _Far better than those cheap ones at the store,_ he thought. "These are actually pretty good," he commented, grabbing another one.

She smiled. "I thought you would like them. You should get some rest and think about what I just said. When you are ready, why don't you have a practice battle with my grandchild? She will be leaving on her journey in a couple of weeks and she'd love to learn more from one as talented as you. Training only against Ice-types can get a little boring," she added, with a gentle laugh.

Entertain a kid? He had never been an expert with children. He never knew what to say around them or how to act. "Are you sure that's a good idea?"

"You're not scared of a ten-year old child are you?" Sheila teased. "Go on, rest up first. Your room is the one of the far right. Pryce will be back from the gym in a couple of hours just before the sun sets. He never misses out on dinner."

Lance nodded. "Thanks… You've given me a lot to think about."

"There's no need to thank me. I'm just doing what I can to help."

He stood up from the table and headed up towards his temporary bedroom. He wasn't sure how long he'd be bunking here for, but it would be a pleasant change from the usual - away from the pressures of the league and away from his cousin's tantrums and demands. This was a chance to collect his thoughts and reorganize his goals. Sheila had certainly given him a lot of things to ponder.


	17. A Lucky Escape

Another filler. The second of four. Thanks to mestwendyfan for reviewing the previous chapter.

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 **Chapter Sixteen: A Lucky Escape**

Instead of heading straight to Olivine City, Lyra had decided to hang around in Ecruteak for awhile. She was beginning to feel mentally and physically exhausted from the non-stop travelling she had done. Now was a good time to sit back and relax for awhile. But it wasn't just her mind and body that needed a rest; her Pokemon too deserved to relax. Ecruteak might not be at the top of list for popular holiday destinations, but it certainly was the perfect place to relax. She had grown to love the place.

But she knew she couldn't stay here forever – she had four more badges to obtain. Morty had suggested battling the gym leader of Cianwood City first, but to get there she had to bypass Olivine City. Reaching Olivine from Ecruteak would take a month – Morty had advised not leaving for the city until cyclone season was over because there was always a chance of a storm surge happening and flooding the city. So she had waited at least another week for the season to end.

"The season has passed, Lyra. You can choose to leave now if you wish," Morty said, walking Lyra towards the city gate. "It's a long road to Olivine but it's a straight path. There are quite a number of trainers on the road but they shouldn't be a problem for you."

"Anything else?"

He nodded. "The water between Olivine and Cianwood can be a little rough. I would suggest not crossing it until it looks absolutely safe. All the best of luck to you Lyra, we will meet again." He waved her goodbye. She headed out onto Route 38, her loyal team of six tagging along behind her. And so the life of a travelling Pokemon trainer started again. She wondered what problems she would face this time.

She didn't even manage to step one foot out of Ecruteak City when she felt her Xtransceiver vibrate. "Hello, this is Lyra speaking."

"Lyra? Where are you now? Something terrible has happened!" Ethan blurted out, distraught.

She frowned, troubled. "I'm still in Ecruteak."

"Still there? All right, I'm arriving now. Meet me at the gate on Route 37." Ethan hung up. Lyra put her Xtransceiver away, hurrying over towards the southern gate. Ethan stood under the arch way, frantically searching left and right. He sighed with relief when Lyra approached him. "I was worried you might have been in Olivine City now… but I'm glad you are here."

Lyra looked at him, concerned. "What happened?"

Ethan took a deep breath then spoke. "I participated in one of the Bug Catching Contests in Goldenrod one morning and when I returned back to the day care centre… I discovered the place had been robbed. The computer in the room had been destroyed and the Pokemon pen ruined. My grandfather said some grunts in black uniform came in and took all the Pokemon they could." He closed his eyes, mouth pressed into a thin line. "They've gone to Mt. Mortar. These Pokemon belong to trainers. If the trainers find out their Pokemon have been stolen…"

Then the day care centre could be shut down officially. The authorities would believe the owners were not capable of being responsible caretakers. Ethan's grandparents would be out of a job. "How many were taken?"

"Three. A Sentret, a Pidgey and a Rattata."

"We'll get those Pokemon back."

Ethan shook his head. "I can't go. I need to look after my grandparents. They're still in shock. You'll have to do this alone, Lyra."

She expected that response but it was still disappointing to hear. She had hoped to spend some quality time with her friend as it had been months since they had last spoke, but that would have to wait. "How do I get to Mt. Mortar?"

"You'll need to get onto Route 42. That's just to the east of Ecruteak. Please be careful, Lyra. Mount Mortar is a dangerous place." Lyra had always thought she'd end up entering Mount Mortar, but she hadn't expected the moment to come so soon. Was she strong enough to face the horrors of the mountain?

"I'll get those Pokemon back."

"I know you will. We're counting on you, Lyra. Give me a call when you've gotten them back. Stay safe."

Lyra nodded. She took in a deep breath and headed towards Route 42.

.

Mount Mortar was much bigger than she had assumed. Although the mountain was reasonably close to Ecruteak City, it still seemed quite far away. But here was she now, standing at the foot of the mountain, ready to face her most dangerous journey yet. There was something off about the place – something that didn't quite feel right. The closer she came to the mountain, the more unsettled she felt. Even her Pokemon felt nervous. They were huddling around her legs, leaving barely any room for her to move.

"I know your scared… and so am I… but we need to save those Pokemon," Lyra said aloud, addressing her six Pokemon that were standing around her. "There are three trainers relying on us to bring back their Pokemon safely. If we don't find them in time, Ethan's grandparents could be in serious trouble."

Caves. Although it had been quite some time ago since she last entered one, the experience was still fresh in her mind. It was as if she had entered the Dark Cave yesterday to catch her third Pokemon. Zubat were obviously going to be in abundance here, but what other Pokemon called Mouny Mortar their home?

She put a foot inside, wincing as a hot humid air touched her skin. She took another step forwards when she was pushed back outside by a rather large man. Lyra stumbled backwards, flailing wildly as she landed on her backside. _Ouch,_ she thought. Glancing up, a man dressed in hiking gear looked down at her, a shocked expression on his face.

"I'm sorry lass, I didn't see you there. Here, take this technical move potion, Strength as my apology," he said, handing her a golden brown potion.

What was it with people giving her gifts all the time? Not that she was complaining though, it just seemed a little strange. She accepted the potion and placed it in her bag. "What does it do?" He assisted her to her feet. Lyra was sure one of the previous gym leaders had mentioned it, but that been quite some time ago.

"Teach it to one of your Pokemon and you'll be able to push those annoying boulders out of your way with ease. It gives your Pokemon double the power you see." He looked at the cave entrance. "If you are serious about going in there, you should know – wild Pokemon are the least of your worries. Good luck, trainer." He hurried past Lyra before she could ask another question. Wild Pokemon were the least of her concerns? That didn't sound promising.

She stepped back inside and was immediately overwhelmed by the high humidity levels. Having gotten accustomed to the pleasant cool weather of Ecruteak, this was a rather unpleasant change. Sweat beads were already beginning to form on her head. Every breath felt like a heavy weight on her chest. She had thought Cherrygrove had been bad, but this was twice as worse. Fortunately, there were torch brackets inside the cave making it easier to see.

Obviously, people lived here… or had lived here at one stage. No one would bother to put that much effort into placing torch brackets around the cave if they had no intention of living here. She delved further into Mt. Mortar, taking cautious steps. Every time she reached a corner she made sure to pause and peek around the side. Team Rocket grunts were hiding in here somewhere. She just had to find out where exactly.

"Nidoking, Double Kick!"

A monstrous roar filled the cave halls sending a shiver racing down Lyra's spine. She had encountered a few Nidoran's on her journey but never their final evolutions. She didn't want to either judging by his roar. Pressing her back against the cave walls, Lyra did her best to stick to the shadows, to avoid the eyes of the trainer. The last thing she wanted to do right now was have a battle with some trainer.

She had to save her strength for Team Rocket. Who knew how many grunts were waiting for her in here? One? Two? Perhaps even more? "Hey trainer, come here and battle me!" Damn. The Nidoking owner had spotted her. That's when she realized she had accidentally stepped out from the shadows and into the light.

Looking towards the trainer, she was surprised to see a male dressed in green dinosaur costume. Lifting her brows, she moved towards him. Wasn't he hot on in that costume? "I'm not to battle. I'm looking for a group of thieves. Have you seen them?"

The boy stretched his 'claws' towards her and growled. "I don't know what you are talking about, trainer! But our eyes have locked and now we must battle!" He roared, swinging his 'tail' then stomped his feet. Lyra rolled her eyes. Just what she needed - a battle with some pre-teen try hard. Or at least she assumed he was some pre-teen – besides, how many people past the age of ten dressed up in costumes unless they were clowns?

"You're making the wrong decision…" She paused, searching for a name tag. She couldn't find one.

"I'm Harrison! And I will defeat you with the two Pokemon my parents have given me!"

Lyra had noticed an alarming trend – all the trainers she had battled on various routes were very confident… and also quite rude. It seemed like a fair majority of trainers, aside from gym leaders and other important people, seemed to think trash talking would help them win. In her experience, trash talkers were the ones who quickly fell.

"Say hello to my Nidoking!"

A large, bipedal, purple creature with reptilian features appeared from its pokeball. The beast was huge, reaching a height of at least two metres. He looked down at her now, beady little eyes staring at her as if she was something to eat. Lyra gulped. Out of all the Pokemon she had battled against, none were as intimidating as this. "Go for it, Gabite!" Gabite was the only Pokemon she had that could almost match the Nidoking in height.

"Use Double Kick, Nidoking!"

"Use Dragon Rage!" Best to get this battle over and done with as quick as possible, she thought. Gabite moved first, shooting a burst of draconic rage at the Nidoking. The attack struck the Pokemon in its grey belly plated chest, howling with pain. He struck back, throwing his massive body towards the Gabite, legs outstretched. Lyra never would've thought something so big could jump like that.

Two powerful kicks struck her Gabite hard, knocking him back a couple of metres. Fortunately, Gabite had endured a lot of big hits before and recovered rather quickly. The Nidoking might have been big, but it didn't seem as strong as it could be. "Nidoking, use Peck!" Lowering his head, the Nidoking charged, ramming its sharp horn into Gabite's side.

Gabite roared, and fought back, swinging his tail at the Nidoking. "Use Dual Chop, Gabite!" Gabite took a running leap, jumping into the air, only to come back down fast with two quick slashes. The Nidoking fainted, landing on the ground with a heavy thud. Needless to say, Harrison was quite surprised.

"Oh no, my father's Nidoking!" he wailed. He retrieved his Pokemon and pulled out the next one. "Nidoqueen!" Nidoqueen looked very similar to Nidoking – the only main differences were that her scales were blue and her horn was much smaller. "Nidoqueen, use Double Kick!" The female Pokemon jumped, kicking out her thick legs as Gabite. Gabite fell backwards upon getting struck in the chest.

"Dragon Rage!"

And the battle was over as quickly as it had begun. "Why? Why did I lose?" Harrison moaned, dropping to his knees. "My Pokemon are much bigger than yours… they should've won!"

"Size doesn't determine victory," Lyra said gently, walking over to the boy. "It's about strategy. Your Pokemon might be large, but if you don't have the right moves, how do you expect to defeat your opponents?" She reached out a hand for the boy to take. He grabbed it, and she helped him to his feet.

His eyes locked on Lyra's Gabite. "How did you get so powerful?"

"Practice. Determination. Faith. You have to believe in yourself and in your Pokemon. Are you sure you didn't see anyone wandering around here acting suspicious-like?" Now that she had defeated him, perhaps he would speak the truth.

"A man with aqua hair arrived here a couple of days ago. He was dressed in some fancy white suit. He was accompanied by three guys with black clothes," Harrison explained. "Are they your friends?"

She shook her head. Fancy white suit and a couple of grunts dressed in black? Definitely Team Rocket. "No, those people are very bad. I have to find them – they've stolen a few Pokemon and I'm going to get them back. Do you know where they went?"

The boy nodded, pointing towards a ladder reaching upwards in the far eastern corner. "They went up there." Lyra thanked him then headed towards the ladder, but stopped when she felt fingers wrapping around her wrist. "You can't go up there! It's too dangerous! There are a lot of scary Pokemon on that level."

She freed herself from his grip. "I'll be fine. I have my Pokemon with me."

His eyes filled with wonder. "What's your name?"

"Lyra."

"You're a great trainer, Lyra!"

That caught her by surprise. She had only just met the boy and already she had an admirer. Was this how the gym leaders and members of the league felt? Did they often experience random fan encounters like this? She smiled at Harrison. "Keep practicing, okay?"

He nodded. "I will! I'll return once I come back from the Pokemon Centre." He walked off as best as he could in his clumsy costume, leaving Lyra alone to face the horrors on the level above. She recalled her Pokemon back to their balls and started climbing up the ladder. She reached the top of the ladder then hoisted herself up onto the next level. It was much darker up here, but fortunately, she could still reasonably well. It was also hotter. _Disgusting._

"We raided the Pokemon Day Care Centre near Goldenrod," said a male. His voice sounded rather familiar…

"It was easy to raid. The elderly couple couldn't do anything," said another male. Again, she recognized the voice. Did these voices belong to the grunts she defeated at the Slowpoke Well? Were they always going to show up wherever she went?

"Am I supposed to be pleased with this news? You failed to do anything at the Slowpoke Well. You were beaten by someone much younger than you!" a man snapped, his voice deep and hoarse. She didn't recognize that one. "I am demoting you both. You will be on guard duty from now on until you prove yourself worthy of carrying out simple tasks."

"Please… don't demote us… we tried!" the first male begged.

"I will not tolerate weaklings in my organization. Head to Mahogany Town. You will act under the orders of Ariana. Do you understand me?"

"Yes, Archer, we understand."

"Good. Now get out of my sight!"

Lyra heard a scurrying of feet and a few sobs. Whoever this Archer was he certainly commanded a lot of power. She moved closer towards the source of the voice, hiding behind a couple of large rocks. Leaning forward cautiously, she peered around the corner. There he was. Archer, the man with the fancy white suit and aqua hair. He was now talking into his Xtransceiver, pacing back and forth. It was on speaker so she could hear the conversations of both parties.

"Archer! What a surprise! I did not expect to hear from you so soon! Is there trouble?"

Archer shook his head, running a hand through his hair. "Just a few problems with some incompetent grunts, but nothing I can't handle. How is it looking down at the Mahogany base?"

"Everything is in position. The grunts are just having a few problems attaching the Electrode to the power source though. The Electrodes do not like being touched."

Archer sighed. "Tell the grunts to wear rubber gloves when handling the Electrode. I want the waves transmitted as soon as possible. We've been stalling for months now and we can't afford to continually have delays. I wouldn't be surprised if the rats from the league have become aware of our activities. I do not want a repeat of the Slowpoke Well disaster," he said heatedly.

"I do have a couple of men stationed at the Olivine City Lighthouse. They could try and capture the Ampharos… Ampharos would provide far more power than the Electrode."

"Do it." He paused then spoke again. "Have you ensured the doors are protected by the passwords?"

"Yes. Both doors are sealed and unbreakable. Not even the Champion himself would dare to risk trying to break the door down – if he tries to, the entire place will explode." She laughed.

Archer smiled. "Excellent."

"Is there anything else, Archer?"

"No, that is all. I will talk to you at a later date." He hung up and put his Xtransceiver away, then stretched his arms behind his back, yawning loudly. "Team Rocket will not fail this time… I will make Giovanni's plans a living reality. Now… what to do with these three stolen Pokemon? Shall I send you three to the Lake of Rage to be experimented on first? Hmmm, decisions, decisions," he said, stroking his chin thoughtfully, as he gazed down upon three pokeballs lying on the floor. There was also a fourth ball there. It was pink.

Lyra edged close to get a better view. Unfortunately, in doing so, she accidentally grazed her leg against a rough surfaced stone. She covered her mouth to stop from making a noise, but it was too late. Archer turned his head in her direction, a frown on his face. Reaching down to his belt, he pulled out a pokeball and threw it onto the ground. A powerful and mean looking black canine appeared, its small red eyes scanning its surroundings. Its whip-like tail moved back and forth, as the canine sniffed the air. Lyra closed her eyes and hoped the dog would not detect her.

"What do you smell, Houndoom? Have we been followed by a nosy trainer? Sniff that person out." Houndoom nodded. The canine brought its nose to the ground and sniffed, following an invisible trail that led right to Lyra. She gulped, as red eyes fixed down on her. The canine barked. "Ah, what do we have here? A willing servant?" Archer's eyes narrowed. "Or a foolish trainer? Stand up, girl. Tell me your name."

Lyra stood up. She timidly looked up at Archer. "It's… Lyra."

Archer's smirk widened, as he stepped closer towards her, his faithful Houndoom at his side. "What are you doing here?"

"Just… exploring, that's all," she replied weakly. Why did her confidence have to leave her now? "I didn't hear anything important. Honest," she blurted.

Teal eyes bore into her orbs. "Wait… you are the girl that was involved in the Slowpoke Well situation, are you not? My grunts described a trainer that looked exactly like you…" His eyes travelled down her body, studying her clothes. "By the description they gave me, I was expecting you to look like a farmer."

"I am _not_ a farmer," she replied tersely.

Archer just laughed. "Indeed, you are not. You managed to defeat my grunts at the Slowpoke Well." He circled her, as if he were a predator hunting its prey. "But you did not accomplish much anyway. We retrieved all the tails we needed before you arrived. So really, you did not actually achieve anything of significance. You have managed to frighten some of my grunts though."

Lyra decided to play it safe. Besides, there wasn't much else she could do anyway. Her Pokemon were reasonably strong, but this was the leader of Team Rocket. He was bound to have countless powerful mean Pokemon in his possession. "What did you want with the Slowpoke Tails?"

"That is none of your concern, girl. All you need to know is the Slowpoke will no longer be harmed."

Lyra tried another question. "What do you want from me?"

He advanced towards her, his cold teal blue eyes never leaving her face. He pressed his palms together and pointed in her direction. "You are a promising trainer… you defeated my grunts at the well, you defeated one of my executives and you defeated a grunt in Ecruteak." He stopped moving and looked down at her again. "I could crush you. I could destroy your precious team of Pokemon with one single attack. Your journey would then end. But," he started moving around again, his gaze unflinching, "I am interested in seeing how far you will go. There's something special about you so I would like to extend the offer for you to join Team Rocket."

A sudden wave of anger gripped her mind. "I would never side with evil," she hissed.

He pretended to be disappointed. "Such a shame, such potential wasted." He barked a laugh.

"What are you going to do with me?"

He rubbed his chin. "Yes… what shall I do with a trainer who knows too much? Not that it matters anyway – your knowledge of what has transpired here will not change anything. I am willing to let you go just this once. You are not ready to face me yet."

Her jaw dropped. "You're willing to let me go?"

He shrugged. "Why not? You are just a child in my eyes. Inferior. Weak. It would not be worth the effort in even fighting you. But perhaps one day you will be ready and then we can determine who is the stronger of us." Houndoom growled, as Lyra slowly backed away. It was weird how the most powerful person in Team Rocket was willing to let her escape, but she was grateful for it. Perhaps he believed she was going to fail.

"I will defeat you."

He grinned. "I am not weak like the other grunts you have faced. I admire your confidence, but only skill will help you. Now go, before I decide to change my mind. Oh, you may take these useless Pokemon with you as well. I have no need for them," he said, giving Lyra the three stolen pokeballs. She was a little surprised, but she accepted them and placed the balls in her bag. She didn't ask what the fourth ball was, but it did look important since the ball was pink.

Walking away from this seemed like a foolish idea – it was the perfect opportunity to shut their operations down, but she currently didn't have the power to do that. So she climbed back down the ladder and made her way back to the entrance, unable to shake off the feeling she had made a terrible decision.


	18. Thunder and Lightning

Thanks to mestwendyfan for the review for the previous chapter

 **.**

 **Chapter Seventeen: Thunder and Lightning**

A bolt of lightning tore through the sky followed by a deep rumble of thunder. Hailstones pelted the ground below smashing roofs and glass windows. Another bolt of lightning followed striking a nearby oak tree causing it to topple over onto a house, shattering through the ceiling. After the hail stopped falling, the rain came and low-lying areas quickly became inundated with water. Locals fled to the Pokemon Centre, the only designated place for evacuations.

All the lights were out. Mothers comforted the terrified children while the fathers encouraged their families to stick together. Violent storms were a common occurrence in summer, but it was late autumn. The older generation claimed this was a sign of bad things to come, while some of the younger folk argued against this claim. Jasmine could only look on, as a terrified and concerned community banded together under one roof.

The steel-type gym leader paced back and forth doing her best to move injured Pokemon to storm shelter underneath the Pokemon Centre. There was a backup generator in the shelter which was only used in special circumstances such as this. Without it, the injured Pokemon would struggle to heal.

"Jasmine! We have bad news! Someone has tampered with the backup generator!" a nurse exclaimed, running towards Jasmine, tears running down her cheeks. "I don't understand – it was working fine this morning!"

"Ssshh, don't panic. Everything is going to be all right," Jasmine said, placing comforting hands on the young nurse's shoulders. "I'm going to head to the lighthouse now and lead Ampharos down there to power the generator. The sick Pokemon are depending on it."

"But… Jasmine! It's too dangerous outside! Those men are still out there!"

Jasmine gave the young nurse a stern look. "I have to do what I can to protect the inhabitants of this city. For now, my Magnemite twins will do what they can to try and keep the generator running," she replied. The nurse nodded trying to remain calm, but Jasmine could see the terror in her eyes. She dashed towards the entrance then threw her last pokeball outside. A rather large serpentine Pokemon with a rock-hard body emerged from the pokeball. The Pokemon looked at her trainer, patiently awaiting the next order. "I'm going to head to the lighthouse to lead the Ampharos to the generator!" she called out over a roar of thunder.

Her mascot Pokemon, a female Steelix, nodded. Jasmine stood in the shadow of the Pokemon and moved forward, seeking shelter underneath the Pokemon's strong armour. Steelix moved forward her trainer towards the lighthouse, as the rain continued to pour. It didn't take long to reach the lighthouse since it was only a couple of metres away. Once she reached the door, she recalled her Pokemon back to her pokeball, then stepped inside.

There were various puddles of water beginning to form on the ground floor of the lighthouse. Even though the lighthouse was built on the edge of a cliff, it was still capable of flooding. This was most likely due to a few damaged pipes within the walls. Jasmine made a mental note to hire a plumber to fix the issue. As she headed up the spiral staircase, she heard voices up above.

"…why don't we just try and break the door down? What's the worst that could happen?"

"…the lighthouse Pokemon could electrocute us as soon as we enter? We don't want to provoke it."

"…then what should we do? Try and talk to it soothingly and hope it trusts us?"

There was a smacking sound which sounded like someone had gotten struck in the face. Jasmine tightened her jaw. She hurried up the stairs. About a year ago, a strange man in a white suit arrived on their doorstep, claiming he was interested in purchasing the lighthouse. This same man had also apparently bought out the former ninja base in Mahogany Town. At first, Jasmine hadn't thought much of it, but now she was regretting ever letting them in. The man who had purchased the lighthouse had long since left, heading to Mount Mortar recently to attend to some problems. Even though he had gone, he had left a bunch of his men at the lighthouse to guard the area from nosy locals.

Ever since they had arrived, the citizens of Olivine were facing endless amounts of problems. Electrical faults, stolen goods, injured Pokemon… Jasmine knew these men were to blame. She knew they could not be trusted as soon as they refused to leave the lighthouse at her request. Her plan was to drive them out, but it would be a difficult fight to the top. Pulling out her Xtransceiver, she searched through the list of her contacts, looking for people to assist her in retaking the lighthouse.

She could not call the Elite Four members for assistance – they were in Kanto and that was a very long way from Olivine. She didn't want to call on Lance for assistance either – she knew he was a rather busy person and he had a lot on his plate right now tending to problems north of Mahogany Town. That left the gym leaders of Johto. But who to call? Who could reach her in time? Who could brave the conditions?

With the exception of Falkner, none of the gym leaders had a Pokemon that could fly over. Morty was the closest gym leader by land, but it would take him over a month to reach Olivine. Chuck was also rather close, closer than Morty, but he had to cross the rough ocean to reach her. It would take him a few hours to cross in good weather. In conditions as foul as this, it could take as long as a week. Falkner could make the journey but his Pokemon wouldn't be feeling too good afterwards.

She was alone.

.

Lyra wrapped her arms around her body, lowering her head as she ran towards the Olivine City gates. She was completely drenched from head to toe shivering uncontrollably as she ran towards the Pokemon Centre. Stepping inside, she was surprised to see just how many people were crammed in the building. People of different ages and backgrounds sat on the floor, looking at her in complete darkness.

"Are you a trainer?" asked one of the nurses.

Lyra nodded. "Yes," she said, through chattering teeth.

The nurse grabbed a white blanket from a nearby chair and handed it to her. "The gym leader is in the lighthouse. You will have to wait until she has finished her business there before she returns." Lyra sat down, wrapping the blanket around her to stop from shaking. Although the cloth provided additional warmth, it still wasn't enough to stop the chills. Still, it was better than nothing.

"What sort of business?"

The nurse shook her head. "It is not my place to say. Jasmine should not be much longer though, so rest here and wait. You won't be able to leave the city until the storm has passed and we won't be able to heal your Pokemon until the generator is working again."

Lyra sighed. She had come all this way for nothing. Her Pokemon were exhausted from all the battles and she couldn't heal them because there was no power. All she had left were a couple of potions left but it wouldn't be enough to restore complete health. "I _need_ to heal my Pokemon." She wasn't going to waste more time just hanging around cities and towns – she had already lost a fair bit of time by staying longer than necessary in both Ecruteak and Goldenrod City. At the rate she was going at now, she wouldn't reach the league until she was seventeen. "You don't understand. I need to get my next gym badge."

The nurse shook her head again, giving Lyra a stern gaze. "No one is allowed to leave. It's far too risky in this weather." Lyra did not flinch. The nurse sighed. "I see you are a determined trainer… Seek out Jasmine in the lighthouse. You might be able to help her restore power to the generator."

"Thank you."

Placing the blanket on the bench, Lyra stood up and made her way to the exit. She was aware the other locals were looking at her but she was more concerned by seeking out Jasmine than worry what others thought of her. Fortunately, no one said a word and Lyra stepped back out into the storm.

The lighthouse was just a few feet away. Through the blinding rain, Lyra crossed the sandy ground of Olivine City and reached the lighthouse. The door was unlocked and slightly ajar. She pushed it and stepped inside, immediately making contact with a growing puddle of water. Cringing at the water seeping through her socks and shoes, Lyra crossed the floor, heading towards the spiral staircase. Uncomfortable and revolting, but now wasn't the time to think about her appearance.

Up above, she heard sounds of battle. Toto, Staravia and her two dragons had all fainted leaving her with no other choice but to summon Growlithe and Eevee. Both her Pokemon looked at her with exhausted but eager eyes. A Pokemon's will to keep on fighting even when it was tired was inspiring. They were willing to do anything to protect their trainer. Lyra gave her Growlithe and Eevee a potion each then made her way up the stairs.

A black-clothed member greeted Jasmine on the second level. He approached her, mouth twisted in a cruel sneer. "We were wondering how to lure you here alone… then it came to us… tamper with the generator before the storm hit!" He laughed.

Jasmine clenched her jaw. "Why?"

"Why not?" The grunt shrugged. "Only you have the key to unlocking the door the lighthouse Pokemon is in. Give us the key now and we'll let you walk away peacefully."

"I will not let you hurt Ampharos!"

He raised his hands in a defensive manner. "Settle down, gym leader. We weren't going to _hurt_ it – we just want to borrow the Pokemon for awhile, that's all." He stepped forward, grinning. "The Electrodes refuse to cooperate with us, so we thought we'd use the Ampharos instead. We hear Ampharos generates the power for this city."

Jasmine nodded. "If you think I'm going to let you have the key to steal Ampharos then you are sadly mistaken."

"Then I guess we'll just have to take it off you by force!" His dark eyes burned with black fire. He threw out a pokeball containing a Raticate. Jasmine thought about summoning her Steelix but decided against it. Steelix was far too big. The lighthouse just was too narrow to cater for a fully-grown Steelix. She had to take a chance and rush past the grunt.

There was a sudden loud explosion from the upper levels, causing the grunt before her to jump. He staggered back, eyes wide. Jasmine took the chance to run past him. The grunt regathered his composure, and tried to grab her hair, but missed. She sprinted up the staircase towards the top level and was relieved to find there were only two other grunts present. They were standing in front of the room Ampharos was locked in. "Step away from the door."

The two grunts looked at her. One female and one male. "Hey look, Raul. It's the gym leader! Looks like our little plan worked after all. Ariana and Pretel will be impressed when we bring back the Ampharos to Mahogany Town," the woman said.

"Then we can finally start our great experiment and force the Magikarp at the Lake of Rage to evolve!" said the man. "Team Rocket will be one step closer to world domination!" he raised his hands above his head and laughed. The woman also joined in the maddened laughter. Jasmine didn't see what was so amusing.

"Your plans will never succeed."

"It's already begun, Jasmine," the woman said. "Your reluctance to open the door is only delaying the inevitable." She reached down to her belt and grabbed a pokeball, throwing it onto the ground before her. Her companion did the same. Two Zubats appeared. Jasmine took a couple of steps back. Her Steelix could destroy them with ease, but the room was too small for it. Her twin Magnemite's would also have no problems but she had left them with the generator.

The Zubats advanced towards her, opening their mouths revealing sharp tiny fangs. Jasmine continued moving back until she hit a wall. "You are stuck, Jasmine. Surrender now and we'll let you go unharmed," the woman demanded, holding out her hand.

Jasmine didn't see any other option. She reached down into her belt, pulling out a set of silver keys. "Let me open the door. If anyone else tries, Ampharos will attack." The grunts exchanged exited looks and nodded, taking a couple of steps back to allow Jasmine some room. She moved away from the wall and approached the door, the keys dangling in her right hand. "Ampharos… I've come to help you," she said softly.

The Ampharos made a noise which sounded like a happy bleating sound. Placing the biggest key in the keyhole, she turned her hand clockwise causing the door to pop open. She stepped inside the room then slammed the door behind her, locking it immediately.

"Hey! She tricked us!" Raul screamed, hitting the door with his fists.

Jasmine winced, pressing her back against the door, listening to the two grunts issue threats. The Ampharos greeted Jasmine, rubbing his head against her body. Jasmine stroked his head, and looked him in the eyes. "I would never surrender you to anyone." She sat down besides Ampharos and looked at the door silently hoping someone would come and rescue them.

.

Lyra raced up the stairs as fast as her legs could carry her. She didn't get very far when a grunt stepped in front of her, blocking the path to the second level. "Not so fast, trainer. Did Jasmine call you?" Lyra didn't reply. "Well, nevermind. You're trespassing on Team Rocket territory. It's my duty to bring you down! Go, Rattata!"

It seemed like Rattata was a popular choice for Team Rocket members. Almost all the grunts she had encountered either had a Rattata, Koffing or Zubat in their possession. She glanced down at her Growlithe and Eevee, trying to decide which Pokemon should fight. She eventually decided on Growlithe as the canine was slightly stronger than her Eevee. "Growlithe, use Ember!" Despite being almost drained of energy, Growlithe jumped forward, opened her mouth and sent forth a ball of fire towards the Rattata.

Rattata evaded. "Rattata, use Bite!"

The rodent jumped forward, pouncing on Growlithe's back. The Rattata bit into the canine's flesh. "Growlithe, use Ember again!" This time, the ball of fire struck the Rattata. Flames from the ball spread over the rodent's body, causing the Rattata to scream. It rolled around on the floor, trying to make the flames go away.

"Finish him off with another Ember, Growlithe!" Lyra ordered. Growlithe happily obliged, sending forth yet another ball of fire. The rodent fainted.

"No way! That was my only Pokemon!" the grunt whined, running down past Lyra. Lyra watched his retreating form then headed towards the second level. Fortunately, there were no grunts here so she continued moving on to the third level. Two grunts were standing in front of a door calling out threats and insults, while two Zubats flew above their heads in circles.

"Back away," Lyra said, stepping forwards, Growlithe and Eevee at her side.

The grunts turned around. The woman's eyes looked down at Lyra's dress. "Are you sure you should be here and not attending a beauty pageant with that outfit?" Lyra felt a stab of annoyance. It didn't seem to matter what she wore – people still made fun of her. Next time she was going to change into something far more comfortable, like a pair of jeans and a simple top.

"Go home, shrimp," said the male.

The woman looked at her partner. "How about we take her on in double-battle? It'll help pass some time while we wait for the gym leader to unlock the door again. What do you say, Raul? Want to join me in a battle?"

He nodded. "Sure thing, Julia. She looks pretty weak."

"Zubat, use Bite!"

"Zubat, use Bite!"

The two bats attacked. Both their attacks hit Growlithe, knocking the poor severely weakened canine over. Growlithe pressed her belly to the floor, her body trembling. One more attack and Growlithe would join her roster of fainted Pokemon. "Growlithe, use Ember!"

Growlithe forced herself to stand up on all four feet, and aimed a weak ball of fire at the left Zubat. Zubat flapped its wings, forcing the ball back towards Growlithe. "Watch out, Growlithe!" Growlithe tried to avoid the attack, but her weakened state made it impossible. The ball hit hard causing the Growlithe to faint. Lyra pressed her lips together into a thin line. All her hopes of winning the battle rested on her weakened Eevee.

"Come on, Eevee! We've gotten out of difficult battles before! Use Shadow Claw!" Eevee jumped into the air, swiping at the left Zubat. Zubat hissed, flapping its wings rapidly trying to escape. The other Zubat flew towards Eevee and bit it on the backside. Eevee landed on the ground, wincing.

"That was close!" Julia remarked.

"Use Bite again, Zubat! Take that Eevee down!"

"Do the same, Zubat!"

Once again, the two Zubat's attacked, swooping down at the Eevee. Eevee was struck hard on the left, and then again on the right. She called out in pain. "Quick Attack!" Eevee tried to stand on her feet, but could hardly move. The previous two attacks had inflicted far too much damage. Eevee lay on the ground, trying hard to stand. "It's over, Eevee," Lyra said sadly.

"Hah, that's right. Surrender to the might of Team Rocket!" Julia boasted.

Raul gave Julia a high-five. "Good work, sister."

Lyra dropped to the ground, hands resting on her knees, head bowed and eyes squeezed shut. Tears stung her eyes. Another important match lost, but this hurt more than the resignation against Morty. Although she had resigned for the same reasons (protecting her Pokemon from further harm), she had conceded defeat to a couple of Team Rocket grunts.

Eevee whimpered her name, still determined to stand. Lyra rushed over to assist her Pokemon, the two grunts staring, dumbfounded expressions on their faces. "Eevee… what are you doing?" Lyra said softly, gazing down at the fennec fox Pokemon. "You can't be… willing to continue battling?" Eevee nodded, finally managing to stand on shaky legs. Lyra nodded. "All right… then… give it your best!"

Eevee looked at Lyra, a joyful expression on her face. She wagged her bushy tail and stood still, as she began to glow. Evolution time? Lyra thought. It seemed rather early, but the kimono girl had said an Eevee evolved into an Espeon when it reached a certain level of happiness. She wasn't quite sure what she had done to make that happen, but she wasn't going to argue against it.

The light faded, and the convulsions stopped. A light-purple elegant fox with a slender body and dainty claws stood in the Eevee's place. There was a ruby-like gem implanted in the centre point between her eyes and Lyra figured that's how the canine gained her psychic abilities. She pulled out her Pokedex, this time to update her Pokemon's moves. She had purchased quite a number of Pokemon attacks and defences in between her travels, and now was a good time to actually teach them to her Pokemon. Currently, Espeon knew Tackle, Helping Hand, Shadow Claw and Quick Attack. Lyra realized Espeon now had access to Confusion upon levelling up replacing the useless Helping Hand.

"No way! That's impossible!" said Raul.

"Your Pokemon had fainted!"

Lyra shook her head. "No, she hadn't. You underestimated her. Espeon, use Confusion!" Twin beams left the gem. The two Zubats immediately dropped to the ground, their eyes crossed. It was only after that attack Lyra learnt Psychic moves were powerful against poison-types. Now she had a super effective way of battling Team Rocket. An image of Archer appeared in her mind. The next time they met, he would lose.

The sibling team rushed past Lyra, shoving her out of the way as they hurried down the stairs. Once they were gone, Lyra strode over to the door. She was about to knock when the door opened. A timid looking well-dressed lady stepped outside to greet Lyra, a yellow Pokemon standing behind her. It peered at Lyra with curious eyes.

"I'm Jasmine, the gym leader of Olivine City. You have done a great deed here today. May I have your name?"

"Lyra."

She smiled. "I trust you have come all this way for a gym battle?" Lyra nodded. "I'm afraid I will not be able to return to the gym until the power in this city is restored. Ampharos has suffered a terrible fright and without some extra medical attention, I'm afraid I can't battle."

"What can I do to help?"

"Head to Cianwood City, it's just a few hours travel to the south-west of here. Drop by the pharmacy and tell them you are here to pick up the secret potion. If he asks for proof, simply give me a call and I'll talk to him." She reached down into her pocket, pulling out a tiny piece of paper. "Here are my contact details."

"Thanks."

Jasmine smiled again. "I should be thanking you. You risked everything to come to the lighthouse with a weakened team. Why did you do it knowing your chances of victory were slim?" She peered down at Lyra with wonder.

"I was given a chance to travel the region with a Pokemon… to become Champion," Lyra replied softly, as her Espeon rubbed herself against her legs. "I didn't want to disappoint the people who placed such trust in me. I need four more badges."

"Professor Elm, I presume? He was right to place such trust in a trainer such as yourself." Jasmine exited the room with the nervous Ampharos standing behind her.

Lyra glanced at her Espeon. "Is there any way I can heal up my Pokemon?"

Jasmine thought hard. "Go the Pokemon Mart and ask for a few Revives and some Hyper Potions. Tell the assistant it's a special gift from Jasmine. They'll restore your Pokemon to perfect health." She walked over to a window and peered outside. "The storm seems to have passed now. You should be able to cross the ocean with no problems." She pulled away. "I look forward to seeing you again soon, Lyra. Please don't be too long."


	19. A Noble Choice

Thanks to mirrorkinomoto for reviewing the previous chapter

 **.**

 **Chapter Eighteen: A Noble Choice**

Crossing the ocean had been a short, but gruelling trip. It had also been a very wet journey, having unfortunately fallen into the ocean a few times thanks to a couple of Tentacruel. Thankfully, she hadn't suffered any injuries. It had taken a couple of hours to reach the island from Olivine. Lyra was thankful for such a short journey after having just recovered from the month long trek between Ecruteak and Olivine.

Croconaw swam to the shoreline and climbed onto the beach. Lyra jumped off her Croconaw's back, shivering. Cianwood City wasn't really that much to look at – it was a bit like Azalea Town only situated right next to the sea. A cool breeze blew through the city from the ocean, sending another cold chill down her spine. She did her best to dry herself off then marched over towards Poke Mart to top up on some more supplies. Hyper potions and revives were now available to her, as well as lots of other cool things like great balls and ultra balls. There were even a few fancy looking envelopes to purchase.

Lyra took the lot then stepped outside, heading towards the Pokemon Centre when she suddenly came to an abrupt stop. Her backpack was shaking so violently, Lyra had wondered if a wild Pokemon had accidentally gotten inside. She quickly took it off and placed the bag on the ground zipping it open immediately. The mysterious egg she had received was beginning to show cracks!

She picked it up, cradling it carefully. It took again, much harder this time. Lyra almost dropped it out of shock. Two little arms appeared from the upper half as two stubby legs emerged from the bottom of the shell. The head appeared shortly afterwards which strongly resembled a crown. "Aw, aren't you adorable?" Lyra cooed, scratching the Pokemon's face. "I wonder what you are?"

There was a quick and easy way to find the answer to that question. She pulled out her Pokedex and held it before the bizarre looking Pokemon.

 _Togepi. The shell seems to be filled with joy. It is said that it will share good luck when treated kindly._

Togepi, what a cute sounding name, she thought. Cuteness, however, wasn't going to earn the Pokemon a spot on her team. Besides, her final team had been decided upon.

It was time to drop off a Pokemon in the Pokemon storage box area again. She ducked inside the Pokemon Centre and logged onto the nearby computer. She entered in her details and moved to the storage box. To deposit a Pokemon, all she had to do was place the pokeball inside the tube besides it and her Pokemon would be stored in a safe place for later use. "Goodbye, Togepi. I'll see you later."

She felt a little guilty for depositing the Togepi, especially since she had received it as a gift. But Professor Elm didn't need to know about that now – she'd tell him all about it later. Right now she had to go and pick up the potion from the pharmacy. She didn't get very far when she caught a dash of blue rushing past. Could it be?

Turning around, she spotted the legendary feline, Suicine looking at her. Calm but intelligent eyes looked back into Lyra's own eyes. It was as if the Suicine was waiting for Lyra's next move. Lyra stepped forward. The Suicine did not flinch at all. It's thick, purple mane blew in the gentle breeze looking like a flowing river. She could see why Eusine was infatuated with such a Pokemon. It was truly spectacular to look at.

Before Lyra could even move closer, Suicine suddenly sprinted away, running across the water. Mystified, Lyra just stared at the spot Suicine had been moments ago. "Lyra! Wasn't that Suicine just not?" She didn't even have to turn around to know who that voice belonged to. Eusine. He ran up to join her, notepad in his hands. "I only caught a quick glimpse, but I thought I saw Suicine running on the waves. Suicine is beautiful and grand. And it races through towns and roads at simply awesome speeds. It's wonderful… I want to see Suicine up close…" He fixed his gaze on Lyra.

"Hi Eusine," Lyra greeted politely. She didn't feel comfortable around the guy since he hadn't left a good impression on her in Ecruteak City.

He studied her face as if she had grown an extra nose. "What does Suicine see in you that I do not? There must be something I have failed to see… Perhaps if we battle I might find out the truth and earn Suicine's respect." He raised a hand, pointing a finger at Lyra, gaze lingering on her face. "I have decided. You and I must have a battle."

Well, I suppose I could do with a warm-up match before taking on the Cianwood Gym, Lyra thought to herself. Eusine rubbed his hands gingerly, as Lyra called out her first Pokemon. Croconaw. Eusine summoned a big round Pokemon that really just looked like an upside down oversized pokeball with eyes and a mouth. She referred to her Pokedex for some additional information.

 _Electrode. The evolved form of Voltorb. It is dangerous. If it has too much electricity and has nothing to do, it amuses itself by exploding._

 _How was causing itself to faint amusing,_ Lyra thought, frowning at the Pokemon before her. Having an Electrode sounded like a lot of maintenance. Lyra recalled her Croconaw, swapping it out for her Gabite. "Gabite, use Dig!" Ground-type moves did well against Electric-types.

"Electrode, use Thunder!" A mighty bolt of lightning plummeted to the ground, striking the spot where Gabite was standing. Fortunately, Gabite was already hiding underground. Gabite moved fast, and emerged from his hiding spot, inflicting serious damage on the Electrode's vulnerable belly. The Electrode fainted.

"Ah, I think I'm beginning to see why Suicine has such an interest in you…" Eusine said. "You are stronger than you look… but I too am strong… there must be something else about you that makes you unique…" He recalled his fainted Electrode. "I will find out what that is. I will never stop my quest to make Suicine _mine._ You and I will meet again, Lyra." He hurried off towards a nearby cave.

 _Strange man,_ Lyra thought. Before heading to the gym though, Lyra made sure to pick up the secret potion from the pharmacy.

.

Chuck was never at home; he preferred to spend his days at the gym instead of being with his family which annoyed his wife, Sharlenne, greatly. The only time he returned home was when he wanted something to eat since he didn't know how to cook himself. She loved her husband, but there were times she was frustrated with him.

She stood outside, tapping her foot impatiently, waiting for the brute of a man to come outside. At least ten minutes had passed when the man finally decided to show himself. "Sharlenne! I'm glad you could make it!" Chuck said, opening his arms to give the wife a hug. She snorted, crossed her arms and shook her head.

"I don't want to hear it."

Chuck frowned. "I'm a gym leader! This is my job."

"You're never at home!"

"Of course I am. I visit during the day."

"Only when you want something to eat! The children never see you anymore."

His expression softened. "How are they?"

She glared. "They miss you. It's been over a month."

"Ah, I didn't realize that much time has passed."

Sharlenne's glare remained. "You once told me that you were going to spend more time at home."

"I haven't lost to a challenger in a long time, dear."

" _Promise me_ you will spend more time at home when you do otherwise I'm taking the kids and we're moving to Kanto." Their marriage was suffering because he was barely there. Sometimes she wondered if he was married to his job instead.

He took her hand. "I promise. Please don't go."

She took in a deep breath, studying his face carefully. He seemed sincere enough. Her posture relaxed. "Fine. I'll wait." She removed her hands and headed back home as Chuck returned to the gym.

.

A couple of weeks had now passed since Lance found himself living under Pryce's roof. Each day, he became a little more restless. Although there had been nothing to indicate Team Rocket had succeeded, he couldn't help but think the day would soon be upon them. Lyra still hadn't shown up. Where was the girl? He wanted to see her again to see how much she had improved since they last met.

"Lance." A young female voice called his name. He turned to look. Standing at his doorway was one of the grand children. Her name was Lisa and she was due to commence her journey as a Pokemon trainer today. For the past few months, Lance had been showing her various methods to get the best out of your Pokemon. The girl was a fast learner – that was to be expected though because she was the granddaughter of a veteran trainer.

He sat up on his bed, briefly glancing at the time. Five am. Just another normal day. "What's the matter?"

She entered his room and sat down on the far end of his bed. "I'm scared."

Today was Lisa's big day. "About today? There's nothing to be worried about." Aside from Team Rocket of course. He didn't want to scare though; she was already terrified about starting her journey.

She nodded. "When I was growing up as a kid, I always wanted to be a trainer… but now that the day has come… I don't know if I want to be a trainer anymore." She stood up and looked out the window. The sky was red. A troubling sign.

"Why not?" Lance replied, frowning. The girl had showed promising signs of being a good trainer from what he had seen from their lessons.

"I want to be a breeder, not a trainer."

"Well, battling isn't for everyone."

She looked at him again with curious brown eyes. "Everyone is expected to be a trainer in our family."

"You can't force yourself to be someone you don't want to be." He frowned again. That sounded like something Pryce's wife would say. Was her influence beginning to rub off on him? She looked at him blankly. He sighed. "What I'm saying is, don't become a trainer if you don't want to be one. Just because everyone else in your family was one, doesn't mean you have to follow that path either." Yup. Sheila was definitely having an influence in his way of thinking. Clair would probably laugh at him if she were here.

"I don't want to be a disappointment though. They're all expecting me to do great things just because my grandfather is a great trainer." She cast her eyes downwards. "People expect me to follow in his footsteps. _I_ expect myself to do the same… but my heart just isn't in it."

He wasn't sure how to respond to that. Her words struck him deeper than he thought. It reminded him of his own personal conflict regarding being a Champion people could be proud of. He had to say something though; she was waiting for comforting words. "You shouldn't feel like you must act a certain way to meet people's expectations," he said, recalling the words Sheila had given him.

"How do you deal with it all? You're the Champion. People must expect a lot of great things from you especially after what Red had done." For a ten year old, she certainly knew a fair bit. Perhaps children were smarter than what he gave then credit for.

He had to think hard about this one. "I just… do?" _Great response Lance,_ he scolded himself. Real deep that was. "When I was your age, I wanted to be the finest Champion the world had ever seen. It was my life's purpose to be the best dragon tamer no matter what sacrifices I had to make along the way. Every day I trained hard to improve my technique, sometimes even to the brink of exhaustion." It was weird to think he had started his journey exactly ten years ago. It felt like he had been doing this for decades now. "I imagined myself in a different role – being the hero. It's been my driving force over these past ten years."

And it hadn't done him a lot of good either. He pretended to be like a heroic Champion, but he certainly didn't feel it. To this date he still hadn't done anything that could be considered heroic and he was starting to believe that day would never come. Being the one to defeat Team Rocket… was it just a foolish dream? A child's hope? Clair would definitely be having a good chuckle now if she was hearing this. He snorted. His grandfather saw it. Sheila had seen it as well. Even a ten year old child had a better understanding of it than he did. Let go of the chains that bind you. To let go of the doubts and fears holding you back from seeing a different perspective.

"Lance?" Lisa said.

He looked at her. "You just made me realize something." He was talking more to himself now than to the child. He didn't _have_ to be the type of Champion Red had been – the type to vanquish evil and uphold justice. He could be a different type of Champion, a one that went out of their way to help other people improve and bring them closer to fulfilling their dreams. "You should tell your grandparents what you just told me. I'm sure they'd understand." He stood up.

"Will you come with me?"

"Sure."

.

The other gyms she had visited had all been designed to reflect the type of Pokemon the gym leader used. Falkner battled high above the grounds. Bugsy's gym had cobwebs, trees and bug-karts. Whitney's gym was very feminine and cute. Morty's gym captured a haunting atmosphere. But Chuck's gym? She couldn't see the connection between an artificial waterfall and Fighting-type Pokemon.

The gym advisor waved out to her. "Welcome to Cianwood City gym! This is the Fighting-type gym. Chuck is the man you want to beat. He spends all day meditating under the waterfall with his Pokemon to improve concentration levels so all his Pokemon hit their target every time. Fighting-type Pokemon are super weak to flying-types and psychic-types, so make sure you got one of those moves in your team! Chuck won't even notice you're here until your turn off the waterfall. Here's a hint – look for a giant red button. Good luck trainer!" He waved again, flashing giving her a wide toothy grin.

Lyra gazed up. There were four trainers in total; two on the left and two on the right. The two trainers on the left were guarding the giant red button while the two on the right weren't guarding anything. She decided to deal with the ones on the left first. She climbed up the first flight of stairs and prepared to face off against Black Belt Yoshi.

"Chuck taught me everything I know! There's no way you'll get past me!"

Lyra sent out her Staravia, while Yoshi summoned a brown humanoid Pokemon with an ovoid body. It had large almond shaped eyes, but appeared to lack a mouth and nose. How did it eat? Lyra wondered. She held up her Pokedex wondering if it could answer that question for her.

 _Hitmonlee. The evolved form of Tyrogue. This amazing Pokemon has an awesome sense of balance. It can kick in succession from any position._

"Hitmonlee, use Jump Kick!" Hitmonlee moved first, jumping up high into the air to kick out at the Staravia. He missed, much to the trainer's frustration. The Pokemon did a round-house kick and accidentally kicked himself instead.

"Staravia, use Wing Attack!" The two mini funnels of feathers struck the Hitmonlee directly in his chest. He howled with pain, clutching at the wounded spot. "Now use Quick Attack!" While the Hitmonlee was busy trying to recover, Staravia swooped down and hit the Hitmonlee in the chest again. It didn't take long for the Hitmonlee to faint.

Black Belt Yoshi hung his head in shame. "It seems I still have much to learn."

Lyra climbed up the next flight of stairs to face the next trainer, Black Belt Nob. He summoned a humanoid grey skinned bipedal Pokemon. The Pokemon's red eyes fixed on Lyra, as it flexed its bulging muscles. Once again, she turned to her Pokedex for information.

 _Machop. Always brimming with power, it passes time by lifting boulders. Doing so makes it even stronger._

"Staravia, use Wing Attack!" The twin funnels of feathers hit the Machop hard. It staggered backwards, its flat face scrunched up in pain.

"Machop, use Revenge!" The Machop picked up a rock and hurled it at the Staravia, knocking it out of the air. He then delivered a powerful blow to the avian but fortunately the move didn't do too much damage.

"Use Wing Attack, Staravia then finish him off with Quick Attack!" Lyra wasn't sure why she hadn't thought of this combination of attacks earlier." Staravia attacked again, sending forth the two funnels. She followed up with a deadly swoop, delivering the final blow making the Machop faint. Black Belt Nob summoned his next Pokemon. This one looked like a more mature version of the Machop, only its muscles were far larger than its predecessor and its skin was purple.

 _Machoke. The evolved form of Machop. It always goes at its full power, but this very tough and durable Pokemon never gets tired._

Instead of using Staravia again, Lyra traded the avian out for her Espeon. The gym advisor had said psychic-types were also super effective against fighting-types. "Espeon, use Confusion!" Espeon shot forth a beam of purple, hitting the Machoke in the chest.

"Machoke, use Low Sweep!" The Machoke charged forward, crouched down and swung its legs, tripping the slender Espeon over. Fortunately, the psychic fox was able to get back onto her feet again just as quickly as it had fallen.

"Use Confusion again!" Another beam. This one dealt a critical blow ending the battle within a few short seconds. Black Belt Nob kicked the ground, upset. She ignored his complaints and looked at the red button. She turned the winch and watched as the waterfall stopped flowing. She now had a choice. Face the gym leader now, or fight the other two trainers. It was a pretty obvious choice. Fight the other two trainers for more experience.

She walked across the bridge on the third level and climbed up the steps to the top level to face the next trainer, Black Belt Lung. "You might have turned off the waterfall, but it's not going to make your battle against me any easier! It's triple battle time! Go my three fighting apes!" Three monkeys with white, shaggy fur appeared. The third monkey was slightly larger than the other two, and had a much meaner expression.

 _Mankey. It is extremely ill-tempered. Groups of them will attack any handy target for no reason._

She turned her Pokedex to the older more mature looking monkey.

 _Primape. The evolved form of Mankey. If approached while asleep, it may awaken and angrily give chase in a groggy state of semi-sleep._

To join her Staravia and Espeon, Lyra summoned her Bagon to aid in the fight.

"Mankeys, use Karate Chop!" The two Mankeys jumped forward, lunging at Espeon and Bagon, using their hands in a fast fluid downward motion to inflict damage. Espeon and Bagon both uttered a gasp of pain. "Now Primeape, use Karate Chop as well!" Espeon took some damage again.

"Espeon, use Confusion! Bagon, use Bite! Staravia, Wing Attack!"

Espeon's confusion beam struck the first Mankey hard, causing the ape to faint. Bagon's attack did some damage but not enough to take the other Mankey down. Primeape suffered a critical blow to its health from Staravia's Wing Attack. "Grr, you're really making me mad," Lung said, through gritted teeth. "Mankey, Primeape – use Karate Chop again!" The monkeys lunged.

Both Espeon and Staravia managed to avoid the attack, but Bagon did not. The dragon endured both Karate Chops but was now barely unable to stand. "Hang in there Bagon," Lyra whispered. "Okay, Use Wing Attack, Staravia. Espeon, use Confusion again! Bagon, use Headbutt!" Her trio attacked the remaining apes and succeeded in taking them both down. One more trainer to go and she'd face Chuck for her fifth badge.

She moved down the steps until she reached the final trainer. His name was Black Belt Lao. "I've been training in this gym for a few years know, practicing my fighting technique! There's no way you'll be able to get past me! Hitmonchan!" A tan, humanoid Pokemon wearing red boxing gloves and a light purple tunic appeared.

 _Hitmonchan. The final evolved form of Tyrogue. Its punches slice the air. However, it seems to need a short break after fighting for three minutes._

A short break every three minutes? That sounded like the perfect time to hit hard. "Go for it, Toto!" Croconaw appeared from his pokeball.

"Hitmonchan, use Mach Punch!" Hitmonchan rushed forward, driving his fist right into Croconaw's face. Croconaw was thrown backwards upon the impact, but recovered.

"Wash him away with Surf!" Although there was no large mass of water around, Croconaw still managed to summon a wave. It wasn't a wave of water though, but rather a wave consisting of the rocks from inside the gym. The massive rock wave moved forward, taking out everything in its path including Hitmonchan and Lao. They were pushed a few feet back when the wave died down.

"Use another Mach Punch, Hitmonchan!"

"Use Ice Fang, Toto!"

Hitmonchan drove his fist forward, punching Toto in the face again. Toto grunted then retaliated by sinking his teeth into the Hitmonchan's arm. Hitmonchan screamed, and tried to wriggle free, but Toto's hold was unrelenting. "Free yourself with Mach Punch!"

"Don't let him touch you, Toto! Push him away with Surf!"

Hitmonchan rushed forward to strike Toto again, but this time Toto managed to summon a tidal wave of rocks much quicker than before. The tidal wave pushed the Hitmonchan a couple of metres away again, but this time the Hitmonchan did not stand. Victory! "Well done, Toto!" Lyra said, rushing over to give her mascot Pokemon a hug. Croconaw gave a happy grunt. Black Belt Lao kicked the ground, annoyed by his loss.

Lyra moved down to the ground level where Chuck was standing. His eyes were open now, and he looked mad. She could even see a vein sticking out of the left side of his forehead. The closer she moved in, the more intimidated she felt. Chuck was a big guy. A _really_ big guy. A man mountain, basically.

"Oomph! The pounding waterfall right onto my head… Arggh!" he bellowed, hands grabbing at his hair. He fixed his annoyed gaze on Lyra. "Why did you stop the waterfall from pouring on me! You just spoiled my training, trainer!" he said, gobs of spit flying in her face. "I have to warn you that I am a strong trainer training every day under this waterfall!"

Lyra wiped the spit of her face with her right hand. "Um… I don't really see the connection."

The flame in his eyes sparked. "What?! You say this has nothing to do with Pokemon?!"

She raised her hands defensively. "I'm sorry."

"… Well… what you say is true," Chuck said. "My wife says the same thing you know. Anyway, I don't want to talk about my wife. Come, we shall do battle!" he roared.

Lyra took in a deep breath. This time, she would not forfeit the match.

.

Lance and Lisa sat down at the dinner table along with Pryce. It was still early in the morning so Pryce wasn't at the gym yet. Gym battles never happened before sunrise nor sunset. Gym leaders needed a life outside of the gym as well. He searched for Sheila and found she was busy in the kitchen cooking breakfast and making tea. Pryce acknowledged Lance with a nod then turned to Lisa. "Today is your big today."

Lisa shuffled uncomfortably in her seat, twiddling her thumbs. Her eyes met with Lance's and he nodded. She sighed, took in a deep breath and faced her grandfather. "I… don't want to be a trainer, grandfather."

"You don't want to be a trainer?" Pryce repeated.

"Please don't be mad! It's just… I want to be a Pokemon breeder instead!" she blurted out, sinking lower in her chair. "I don't want to follow in your footsteps – I want to make my own path."

Pryce looked rather surprised, turning to his wife for some support. This wasn't how he expected to start the day. "Did you hear that? Lisa doesn't want to be a trainer anymore."

Sheila stopped cleaning a plate and looked in their direction. "I heard perfectly fine, Pryce. Having a Pokemon breeder in the family sounds wonderful! She could get a job at the day care centre."

"I'm not mad, Lisa… just surprised, that's all," Pryce said. Lisa looked relieved. "What made you change your mind?" Lisa looked at Lance again. Pryce's eyes followed. "Did you tell my granddaughter to give up becoming a trainer?" He didn't _sound_ angry, and he didn't _look_ it either, but he _was_ an ice-type master and therefore a professional at keeping his cool.

"Uh, not exactly. I just said she should do what she wants to do, not what others expect her to do." In the corner of his eye, he caught Sheila's smile.

"It wasn't his fault, grandfather!" Lisa exclaimed. "If you want me to become a trainer, I will become one if that's what you want," she added, in a defeated tone.

Pryce shook his head. "No, no, not at all. If you want to become a breeder, you may. I will call the Day Care people later to see if they're interested in taking on an apprentice part-time." Her face brightened. "But you will still have to go to school. Since you're not going to become a trainer, you will finish your studies," he added sternly.

Lisa smiled. "Of course I will! Thank you, papa!" She stood up from the table and ran up to her room. Lance suspected she was going to call her friends and tell them the good news. Now with Lisa gone, Pryce's expression morphed into a sombre one. Lance could tell by that expression something was terribly wrong.

"What's the problem?"

An uncomfortable silence hung in the air. Pryce took in a deep breath and spoke again. "It's about Team Rocket. The experiment has begun to happen." He studied Lance's reaction, carefully. "The Magikarp are evolving one by one. They will begin to fight each other and that does not bode well for the surrounding Pokemon or for the species itself."

Lance was half-tempted to storm out of the house right now and hunt down Team Rocket. But that's exactly what Pryce was expecting him to. That's what he would've expected of himself before the conversation with Sheila. "It's a risk we'll have to take. You told me to wait for Lyra before acting. I intend to do just that." Lyra was the one destined to be the hero, and he'd be there to assist. Not the other way around.

"I thought you were keen on taking out Team Rocket?"

"I am keen… but that's not the type of Champion I want to be any longer," he replied. "I'm not the same Champion Red was."

Pryce gave one of his rare smiles. "I'm impressed. It seems like you have learned something here after all. Your grandfather will be proud."

Now it was his turn to feel surprised. "My grandfather?"

Pryce nodded. "He asked me to keep you back and I promised I would. He'll be glad to know that you've shifted your goals." He glanced down at the time. "Well, would you like at the time? I will be off to the gym now for my meditation session. I'll see you at dinner. Oh, would you mind dropping my granddaughter off at the school in Violet City?"

"Not a problem."

.

Things weren't looking too good on Lyra's end. Although Chuck's Primeape had finally fallen, half her team were unable to fight. The monkey had taken out her two weapons – Espeon and Staravia – and her Growlithe. Now she was left with her three reptilian Pokemon all of whom had no attacks that were super-effective against Chuck's Poliwrath.

Poliwrath was a true menace. The Pokemon hit extremely hard and was fully capable of taking out one of her Pokemon with one mighty hit. Water-based moves wouldn't work on the Pokemon at all, and her other moves did little damage. Her Pokemon spent the majority of the battle avoiding Poliwrath's Hypnosis and Focus Punch attacks.

"Gabite, use Dig again!" For what seemed like the tenth time during the battle, Gabite hid underground, just managing to avoid another beam of Hypnosis. If that move hit, it would spell the end of her battle. She had seen how powerful Focus Punch was during the battle with his Primeape when Staravia had failed to land a hit. It seemed the move only worked when one of Lyra's Pokemon missed its target. Poliwrath couldn't be out sped, or out powered but he could be out smarted. But why? Simply avoid his attacks until he ran out of steam?

Wait.

That could actually work. She still had a couple of revives in her bag as well. All she had to do was continue hiding underground until Poliwrath had no moves left, then she could exploit his weaknesses. It seemed so simple. But would her strategy actually work? Poliwrath didn't seem to be showing any physical signs of exhaustion.

"Okay, Gabite. Keep hiding underground!"

Chuck frowned. "What are you playing at? Stop running away and fight!"

"I am fighting… but not just in the way you want me to. There's more to battling than just pure power," Lyra said. She smiled. "I'm about to show you the importance of having a strategy in place. Gabite, use Dig again!"

"You're not even attacking me. How are you supposed to win?"

"Your Pokemon will run out of steam eventually the way it keeps hitting like that." Now the Poliwrath was starting to show the typical exhaustion signs. His moves were becoming rather sluggish and his accuracy a little less than perfect. He was definitely running out of steam… but so was Gabite. Fortunately, she still had a couple of Revives left. "Okay, Gabite. You did well. Finish him off, Staravia!" Gabite returned and the revived Staravia took his place. "Use Wing Attack!"

Poliwrath was struck hard, but the Pokemon remained on his feet. Lyra bit her lip. Okay, so he wasn't quite close to fainting yet. Chuck rushed over to his Pokemon and gave it a Super Potion, restoring a fair amount of health. _By Arceus' light,_ Lyra thought. The battle wasn't over yet. "Poliwrath, use Hypnosis!"

"Dodge it, Staravia!"

But Staravia failed to avoid the move and was sent to sleep. The bird rested on the floor, head tucked under her feathers. "Poliwrath, now use Focus Punch!"

Unfortunately, the move hit and Staravia fainted again. Hypnosis – the most annoying attack in the history of Pokemon battling. She summoned her revived Espeon. "Espeon, use Confusion!" Surely, that had to do some form of damage against the bulky Poliwrath. Thankfully, Poliwrath failed to avoid the attack. The move hit hard. Poliwrath slumped over, panting. She had to be close to winning now, surely!

"No… not… yet…" Chuck bent beside his Pokemon and handed the Poliwrath a berry. It was yellow with a few coloured spots on its skin. The Pokemon gobbled it up eagerly and seemed to recover some health. Healing berries? "It's a Sitrus Berry. They heal a fair percentage of the Pokemon's health."

 _Look on the bright side,_ Lyra told herself. At least it can't heal itself. Unlike Whitney's Miltank. That battle had been a nightmare. "We haven't lost yet. Espeon, use Confusion!" Poliwrath suffered another mighty blow, throwing the Pokemon a few feet. He fell forwards onto his knees, using his hands to support his weight. So close. Anytime now. Just one more hit, she thought. "Use Quick Attack! Finish him off!" Espeon dashed forwards at such high speeds it was just a blur. She crashed headfirst into the Poliwrath. Poliwrath grunted. The Pokemon was now so exhausted from using multiple Focus Punches it could barely support his own weight.

"Use Surf!" A rock tidal wave rushed towards Espeon. Espeon had nowhere to run and was hit. Espeon fainted.

Lyra still had a few options left though – although she had now run out of potions, super potions and revives, she still had Croconaw with full health available. She summoned him now. "Toto, finish Poliwrath off with Ice Fang!" The move wouldn't inflict too much damage against the Poliwrath, but hopefully it would be enough. Croconaw charged and clamped his jaws around the exhausted Poliwrath. Poliwrath tried to fight him off, but he was far too weak now to do anything. Lyra sighed with relief, as the Poliwrath's eyes rolled back into his head. Victory!

Chuck seemed surprised. "Hmm… I lost? How about that!" He threw his head back and laughed. "All right, you're worthy of the Storm Badge." He pulled out the badge and handed it to Lyra. The Storm Badge was designed in the shape of a human fist. She wasn't quite sure what a fist had to do with a storm, but she gladly accepted it. "The Storm Badge lets you Pokemon fly to any city or town you've already been to. Here, take this too!" He handed her a dark red potion.

"Thanks."

"That is Focus Punch! It doesn't land if the foe you're attacking this you first, but it's very powerful if it manages to hit!" He laughed again. "I enjoyed battling you! But a loss is a loss! From now on, I'm going to train twenty-four hours a day! See you later, trainer!"

Lyra waved goodbye and walked outside, laughing. Chuck was quite the character. Stepping outside the gym, she found a woman standing nearby, holding a sky blue potion in her hand. Chuck's wife, Lyra presumed. The woman approached Lyra a potion in her left hand. "I see you defeated my husband. Take this, you deserve it. That's a max revive." She bowed her head, smiling. "Well, I should probably go and see him now and see what he wants for dinner. Good luck, trainer!"


	20. Old and New

Thanks to mirrorkinomoto for reviewing the previous chapter. This is the last of the fillers.

 **.**

 **Chapter Nineteen: Old and New**

Lyra returned to Olivine City a couple of hours later. Flying was certainly the best way to travel. Scenic. Fast. And not physically exhausting. She didn't plan on flying to places all the time though, that wouldn't be fair on her Staravia. She planned to only fly to places there were far away from her current location. Besides, she had to remain in shape. As soon as she set foot in Olivine, she was taken aback by how pleasant the place looked.

The last time she had come here there had been a violent storm wrecking havoc on the city. Now she could see the place for what it was – a lovely area built on the ocean's end. Cianwood also shared a great view of the ocean, but Olivine just seemed like the perfect place to get a sun tan. The place seemed more alive, it was like the Goldenrod City of beach towns.

As Jasmine had promised, she was waiting at the lighthouse. "Here's the secret potion. The man gave me no trouble at all," said Lyra, handing the potion over to the gym leader.

Jasmine smiled. "Thank you very much. You've done a great deed for the people of Olivine City. I'll give the potion now to Amphy – please don't be offended though, Amphy will only take it from me." She removed the lid and knelt down besides the anxious Ampharos and gave it the potion. Ampharos drank it all within seconds and immediately seemed better.

"That's one powerful potion," said Lyra.

Jasmine nodded. "It's a special potion for medical emergencies only. Thank you again. I will now return to the gym after I've led Amphy back to the power source room." Ampharos wagged its tail and followed Jasmine back up to the top room. Lyra stopped by the Pokemon Centre on the way out to rest for short while. Once she felt better rested, she made her way to the shoreline of the beach.

Unlike all the previous gyms she had visited, Olivine Gym was rather simplistic looking. There were a few colourful steel-based archways but that was it. No artificial waterfalls. No trees and creepy bugs. No platforms to cross. There were even only two trainers in the building which seemed rather odd for a late gym.

Once again, the gym advisor was there to greet her. He gave her a dashing smile. "Hey there champ to be! Thanks to you, power has been restored to the city! Jasmine has returned and now she awaits you at the end! Be ready for a tough fight – steel-type Pokemon are pretty hard to take down. If you want to put a dent in that steel armour then make sure you have a fighting, fire or ground-type Pokemon with you! Otherwise you're going to be up for a very difficult battle. Good luck trainer! I'll be rooting for you."

Lyra thanked him for his advice. Based on his words, Lyra knew Growlithe and Gabite were going to be her primary battlers. She moved to the first trainer ready for a match. "Go on right ahead! You've already proven yourself to us by saving the Ampharos." The second trainer also thanked her for assistance. _Well, that was a pleasant change from the usual,_ Lyra thought.

"Thank you for your help at the lighthouse… But this is different. Please allow me to reintroduce myself." She cleared her throat. "I'm Jasmine, a gym leader. I use the… clang! Steel-type! … Do you know about the steel-type? They are very hard, cold, sharp, and really strong! I'm not lying. So without further ado, let's battle!"

She brought out her first Pokemon – a robotic life form with a grey, circular metal body with horseshoe magnets on each side. It had three screws on its face – one on its head, and two below its massive single eye.

 _Magnemite. It is attracted by electromagnetic waves. It may approach trainers if they are using their Poke Gear._

"Go, Growlithe!" Lyra brought forth her adorable canine. Growlithe moved forward, eager to battle, uttering a low growling noise. She wanted to give her Growlithe as much experience as possible so it could learn some better moves – Growlithe was her only unevolved Pokemon on her team now. "Use Flame Burst!" Arrows of fire shot towards the Magnemite inflicting severe damage. Its robotic steel body now had a black scorch mark on it.

"Magnemite! Use Thunderbolt!" The Magnemite created a bolt of lightning with its horseshoe magnets and sent it forwards, striking the Growlithe. Growlithe yelped as the bolt struck her back. Fortunately, Growlithe managed to recover.

"Now use Fire Fang!" Growlithe lowered her body to the ground then rushed forward, teeth burning red. She leapt, grabbed hold of the Magnemite's body, and bit down. Magnemite writhed with pain until its eyes rolled back in its head. One Pokemon down.

Jasmine just smiled. "You're pretty good."

"So are you."

"Magnemite!" Jasmine summoned her second Magnemite. Lyra was beginning to think this battle was rather easy. Were her gym battles just going to get easier now as her Pokemon became stronger? Or was Jasmine simply lulling her into a false sense of security? Lyra ordered her Growlithe to use the same moves as before.

Magnemite received a critical blow and fainted. _Surely, this couldn't be it,_ Lyra thought. It was just _too easy._ Growlithe turned to face Lyra, tilting her head to the side as to say, 'what's going on here?' Lyra could only shrug in response. She looked at Jasmine's face searching for a sign of worry, but there was none to be found. Perhaps this was her plan. Make the opponent think they've won the battle.

Jasmine summoned her final Pokemon. A large serpent made up of grey rocks appeared from the Pokemon, reaching upwards towards the ceiling. It was at least nine metres high. Nine metres of solid rock defence.

 _Steelix. The evolved form of Onix. Its body has been compressed deep under the ground. As a result, it is even harder than a diamond._

"Steelix, Use Rock Throw!" Steelix roared, and a bunch of stones from the ground rose up to the Steelix's centre point. With another fearsome roar, the Steelix thrust its head forward, sending rocks flying towards the Growlithe.

Growlithe was struck by multiple rocks, each one delivering a mighty blow to her health. She collapsed on the ground onto her side, growling softly until her eyelids closed. Growlithe had fainted. Lyra thought about her next Pokemon to move. Flying-types were weak to ground-type moves so that ruled out Staravia. Toto had Surf though… and Gabite knew Dig… both type of moves were super effective against a Steelix. So if one Pokemon fainted at least she had another.

"Feraligatr, use Surf!" As with the previous gym, there was no pool of water to take advantage of, so once again, Feraligatr summoned a tidal wave of sand and stone. The tidal wave moved fast and smashed into the Steelix, knocking it down to the ground. Steelix wasn't so easily defeated though; it simply picked itself back up again.

"Iron Tail!" Steelix swung its lower half in Toto's direction, the side of its tail smacking hard into the reptile's face. Toto was thrown a couple of metres away, hitting its head hard against the floor of the gym. The reptile grunted then forced himself back onto his feet.

"Use Surf again, Toto! Take that giant rock serpent down!" Feraligatr pounded his tail onto the ground, causing a few grains of sand to fly up around him. He conjured up another tidal wave of stone and sand again, and sent it forth. Steelix was struck again, toppling over onto the ground. Jasmine rushed over to her Steelix, knelt down besides her Pokemon and fed it a hyper potion.

Steelix recovered and stood up again, fixing its menacing gaze on Feraligatr. "Iron Tail!" Another powerful swing of its tail, and Feraligatr found himself sailing through the air again. Lyra knew that a Pokemon was super strong when it could toss a sturdy Pokemon like Feraligatr around like a rag doll.

"Keep using Surf, Toto!" Surf was the only attack Feraligatr could use against the rock-hard Steelix. Steelix fell over again, grunting as its head smacked against the ground for the third time that match. Feraligatr gnashed its powerful jaws at the air, emitting an ear-deafening roar that could even frighten some of the mightiest of dragons.

"Iron Tail!" Jasmine ordered.

"Surf!"

This same vicious cycle repeated several times over until one Pokémon was no longer standing. Fortunately, for Lyra's sake, the Steelix had fainted. Jasmine returned her Pokémon to its pokeball then walked over to Lyra, a smile on her face. She brushed her hair back, reached into a pocket on her dress and pulled out a shiny badge.

"You are a better trainer than me, in both skill and kindness. In accordance with the league rules, I confer upon you this badge," Jasmine said, handing the item over to Lyra. The badge was in the shape of a blue octagon with silver edges. "Please take this…" She said, giving Lyra a tiny bottle of grey liquid. "You could teach this to a Pokémon. It contains Iron Tail."

Lyra smiled. Out of all the gym leaders she had faced, Jasmine was the most humble of the lot. "Thank you."

"I don't know how to say this, but good luck for your future endeavours! Your future is a bright one!"

Lyra put the badge away into her collector's box. "Where should I go next?"

"Your next stop should be Mahogany Town which is located directly to the east of Ecruteak City. Pryce awaits you. You'll have to cross through Mount Mortar to reach the town though," Jasmine explained, pausing briefly. A few seconds passed until she spoke again. "But that shouldn't be a problem for you or your team. You've already obtained six badges."

"I'll head out straight away after I visit the Pokemon Centre again." Another stop at the Poke Mart was also at the top of her list. This time, she had to pick a few parcels her mother had sent her.

"Make sure you return to Olivine City once you've claimed your badges! All the gym leaders will have advice for you," Jasmine said. "Goodbye Lyra, thanks again for everything!"

Lyra said goodbye, left the gym and made her way to the Pokemon Centre. The final quarter of her mission to obtain all eight badges was about to begin. What would await her? She almost skipped out of the gym as she thought about her future.

.

Silver wasn't interested in bug-hunting, but he had been forced to come here, after being driven out of Ecruteak City. Taking out his frustrations on pathetic trainers helped him relax – slightly. Ilex Forest was the perfect place to prey on weaklings. Jumping out from behind bushes startling idiots was amusing for awhile. The only downside was that it was dark and hard to navigate through. Silver weaved through a couple of trees then crouched down behind a thick bush, waiting to ambush his next target.

To become the ultimate trainer, he needed strong Pokemon. For the past hour, Silver had been casing some poor trainer into a forest. The trainer had just received a Sneasel from his mother a few hours ago, but the kid had no idea how to handle it. _Pathetic,_ Silver thought. He stood behind a tree, watching the trainer attempt to battle against a couple of Pidgey's.

He watched the Sneasel battle with awe. The Pokemon struck hard and fast, inflicting some serious damage. Such a Pokemon would make his team so much more powerful. He'd defeat that red-headed trainer with the Dragonite and he'd send that girl right back home where she belonged. No one made a fool of him. He might've found a way to defeat her back in Ecruteak City, but it wasn't really a victory to celebrate. He wanted to _crush_ her.

"Sneasel! Why won't you listen to me?" the boy whined, removing his cap off his head. The trainer's Sneasel was currently lying on the ground having a nap. "Please, get up! How are we going to take on the league challenge if we can't even get our first badge?"

This was just embarrassing. Silver stepped forward, summoning his Bayleef. "Your Pokemon isn't going to listen to a worthless heap of trash like you! You're weak! You don't deserve to be called a trainer! You should go back to school, kid."

The trainer turned around, eyes narrowing into slits. "And who are you? Some tough guy?"

"Tougher than you'll ever be, chump." Silver looked at the trainer's Sneasel, who was now looking at him with interest. Silver turned his eyes back to the trainer, a slow smirk crossing his face. "Why don't you be a good kid and give me your Sneasel? He deserves someone better than you."

"That's my mother's Sneasel! I'm never parting with it!"

Silver growled. "You are weak. You're holding back your Sneasel from achieving ultimate power!" He took another step forward, eyes staring holes in the boy's head. The trainer took a few steps backwards, tripping over himself. He landed on his backside. "If you don't give me your Sneasel… I'll introduce you to a new world of humiliation and pain," he threatened.

The boy's eyes widened. "You… you can't steal another trainer's Pokemon! That's illegal!"

"I don't play by the rules." He pointed a finger at the Sneasel. "Bayleef, use Magical Leaf!" Bayleef leapt forward, emitted a cry and launched a couple of colourful leaves at the opponent and trainer. Both were knocked to the ground. The boy cried out from pain, while his Pokemon picked himself back up, glaring at the Bayleef. Fortunately for Silver's sake, the Sneasel's trainer was incompetent and appeared to know nothing about his Sneasel, making this battle so much easier for Silver. "Surrender your Sneasel now!" Silver snapped.

The boy bit down on his lip and nodded. "I'll do anything! Just please… stop the battle!" he pleaded.

"Strike him, Bayleef!"

Bayleef nodded, using Vine Whip on the trainer. He screamed, as one of the vines hit him on the leg. "You can have Sneasel! Just leave me alone!" he begged, giving Silver the Sneasel's pokeball.

"That wasn't so hard, was it?" Silver looked to Bayleef, smirking. "The strong must always punish the weak." He recalled the Sneasel into his pokeball and attached it to his belt. Getting the Sneasel used to him was going to take a little bit of effort, but his other Pokemon would beat some sense into it anyway if things got out of hand. The boy climbed to his feet and ran away, while Silver laughed. His laughter died down, and he turned around to leave the forest, when he caught movement in some nearby bushes.

"Come here, boy. Follow the sound of my voice."

A deep voice beckoned him deeper into the forest, pulling him away from the exit. Silver glanced back – he didn't have to listen, but curiosity made him follow the voice. If he found himself in danger he could always use his Pokemon to escape so it wasn't like he was completely vulnerable. Besides, if he didn't investigate now it would drive him crazy.

He followed the voice and soon found himself back where he was hiding just a moments ago. There was a man there now and he was at least twice Silver's height. He was wearing a black blazer and pants and wore a plain white tie. "Let me get a good look at you… Come closer… yes, that's a good boy."

Silver stepped closer, unsure. There was something about that voice which sounded familiar… Where had he heard it before? "Who are you?"

"Has it really been that long that you don't recognize your own father?" The man chuckled.

Silver swore his heart skipped a beat.

Giovanni.

Silver froze. He wanted to run, but his legs refused to obey him. All he could do was stand in place and watch the man who had ruined his life stand before him. He wanted to scream, to accuse him of destroying everything, but the words would not come. Fear had shut down logical reasoning. "Giovanni." He gazed up at the man, feeling a mixture of emotions run through him. Anger. Fear. Confusion. There were a few graze marks on his father's face, and his clothes were torn in a few places, but he seemed to be all right.

"My dear boy… it's been so long… You never thought to write me a letter?"

Silver snarled. "Why would I want to do that?"

"I missed you, my boy," Giovanni said, taking a step closer, so that he was now within arm's reach away from Silver. He towered over the boy, dark eyes burning with such intensity, Silver honestly thought flames were going to shoot out. "We have so much to catch up on." He reached out a hand.

Silver's legs decided to react at that moment. He jumped back narrowly avoiding his father's reach, but in the process, somehow managed to get his leg caught in a visible root. He tripped over and landed on his backside, glaring up at the man. "You said you'd never return! You said I was free!" he rasped. Giovanni had disappeared, and rumoured to have been captured by a group of thugs. Either Giovanni had escaped, or those rumours were simply false.

Giovanni chuckled. "You will never be free, son. The blood that runs through our veins binds us together for eternity." He extended a hand down for Silver to take. Silver refused to accept it, spitting at the hand instead. Giovanni chuckled again and withdrew his hand. "Freedom is just an illusion. Didn't I tell you that peace and freedom are just ideas the weak believe in?"

"I remember your lessons clearly, Giovanni." Lessons he tried hard to forget. Giovanni's teachings had been cruel, involving numerous beatings which he claimed were designed to make him stronger. All they did was leave scars – mentally and physically. The scars were all over his body, his arms, his back, his legs… it's why he chose to wear long-sleeves, so no one could see the markings. "Your lessons did nothing for me." He picked himself up from the ground after freeing his foot from the root.

"My lessons taught you how to be a survivor." Giovanni grabbed his arm and yanked a sleeve up, revealing the scars on Silver's wrist. "You've endured so much pain, yet you are still here." His grip tightened. Silver tried to wrench his arm free, but the older man would not lessen his grip. His wrist started to ache. "Do you think you would be the trainer you are today if you had stayed with your mother?"

Silver hissed. "I don't know – you took that chance away from me." He never knew her his mother – not on a deeper level anyway. He had only seen one photo of her and that was because Giovanni had chosen to share it with him one day. The only piece of information he knew about her was that her name was Selene and she was a Pokemon researcher. Giovanni claimed she was weak.

"I needed an heir… and someone who shares my blood will not be seen as a weakling. Your mother could not understand that. I had to take you away from her."

"You ruined my life!" he snarled.

Giovanni rolled his eyes. "I had to make you strong."

"For what? So I could be one of your mindless cronies?"

Shaking his head, he chuckled. "You are my son."

"You mean nothing to me. I don't need you."

Giovanni pulled away and rose to his feet. "You turn down my offer now, but you'll see that I'm right. The only person you can trust is family. Remember that, son. I will find you again, and together, we will make this world ours." He turned around and moved back into the trees.

Silver heaved a sigh of relief. At least his father hadn't dragged him away anywhere to be taught a lesson. "You're wrong about me, Giovanni. I'll prove to you that I'm stronger without you."

.

Being back in Ecruteak City filled her with a great sense of joy. Excluding New Bark Town, Lyra had spent most of her time in the historical city. When she had the money, she was definitely going to buy a house here. "Hey there, Lyra! It's good to see you again after so long!" Morty said, grinning as she arrived at his door step. "I take it by the pleased grin on your face that you defeated Jasmine and Chuck?"

"I certainly did!" Lyra said, pulling out her badge box for Morty to see.

He looked down, examining her badges. "You've done extremely well, no joke. You've probably already been told, but not many trainers ever make it past their third gym battle."

That was understandable. She assumed Whitney's Miltank had crushed the dreams of many trainers. "I'm not really surprised… Whitney's Miltank was a nightmare to get pass." She shuddered as an image of the Miltank formed in her head. How many trainers had that cow crushed?

Morty grinned. "What do you say we go and get something to eat? I'm famished. Surely you must be too after travelling such a long distance to get here?"

"Food sounds good." For the past couple of months she had been living of health food bars and buns. Sitting down somewhere and actually having a proper meal sounded like a dream come true. "Can we invite Ethan? I haven't seen him in a long time."

"Sure, go ahead. There's a nice place to eat right here in Ecruteak so tell him to meet us at The Haunting restaurant. It's hard to miss – it's the only place here in Ecruteak with a yellow roof," Morty explained, drawing Lyra's attention towards the said building in the near distance. "I'll wait for you at the door." He walked off.

Lyra brought out her Xtransceiver and dialled Ethan's number in. "Hi Ethan! It's me, Lyra! Would you be interested in getting something to eat? I'm back in Ecruteak City now so if you are close to here, meet me at a building with a yellow roof. Oh, you are here? That's great then! See you shortly!" She hung up and put the phone away then headed towards The Haunting restaurant.

It was certainly a strange name for a restaurant. She hoped there were no ghosts inside - getting spooked while eating didn't sound like a good way to pass time. Morty was already at the entrance. He summoned her over, opened the door and allowed Lyra to step inside first. "Is your friend here?" Morty asked.

"Right here," Ethan said, bursting in through the front door, his Marill right behind him.

Morty turned to the cashier. A young woman with golden curls smiled. "A table for three please."

"Anything for you, Morty." She led him and his companions towards a table in the far back corner, right next to the fireplace. The three of them sat down. Lyra grabbed the menu and examined the food items on the list, while the two boys talked.

"Are you a trainer, Ethan?"

Ethan shook his head. "No. I'm an assistant researcher to Professor Elm. I'm travelling around the region helping him fill in data for the Pokedex." He glanced down at his Marill and stroked it on the head. Marill's wagged its tail in response.

Morty's eyes moved from Ethan to Lyra then back to Ethan again. "You two are from the same town, I assume?"

"Yup. We're both from New Bark Town," Lyra responded.

"New Bark Town… can't say I've ever been down that way before." He turned his attention on Lyra. "I suppose I should drop by one day – it seems the best trainers come from the smallest towns."

Lyra wasn't sure how to react to that comment. His words could be interpreted in an offensive manner by some trainers. She put on a polite smile. "Red came from a small town too, I heard."

There was a brief awkward moment of silence, each person lost in their own thoughts. Ethan was busy feeding Marill some poffins, while Morty was examining the menu. Every couple of seconds though, Lyra caught him looking at her with interest. She shifted uncomfortably in her seat. She used to only turn heads when people spotted her in her 'farming' attire, but this wasn't the same condescending look.

"He came from Pallet Town, the same place Blue called home. It's funny how the greatest trainers hail from small towns," Morty said, putting the menu back down on the table. "There are factions of people in Johto and Kanto that want Red back as Champion."

Lyra frowned. "Why is that?"

"It's not really my place to speak ill of the current Champion."

"Well, don't say anything then. The less I know about the Champion, the less judgemental I will be when I reach the league." There were only two things she knew about the Champion: the Champion was male and secondly, he didn't seem all that interested in forming relationships with other people judging by what the ladies had said back in Goldenrod City. He didn't sound like a person she wanted to meet. _Oh well, the more unlikable he is, the more determined I will be to defeat him,_ Lyra thought.

Morty continued to look at her, a hint of amusement on his face. "You are unlike any other trainer I know, Lyra. Most trainers already know who the Champion is and are always eager to know more, but you don't want to."

"I like surprises."

He chuckled. "That doesn't surprise me at all." He pointed at the menu. "So, what would you like? I'm paying."

"Oh, I can pay – I have money," Lyra immediately replied, reaching for her wallet.

He shook his head. "You're a guest to this town… as is your friend here," he said, briefly glancing in Ethan's direction. He returned his gaze to Lyra, eyes lingering on her face. "Please, allow me to pay."

"If you insist." Lyra withdrew her hands away from her bag, letting them rest on her lap. She glanced down at the menu, scanning the available items. There were the basic pastas and steak options, but also more exquisite tastes unique only to Ecruteak City. She wasn't sure what they were exactly so she decided to stick the safe options. Besides, she didn't want to make Morty spend too much money on her.

A waitress came over and wrote down their orders then moved back to pass the information onto the chefs out the back. "Have you thought about what you are going to do when you become Champion?" Morty asked, taking her by surprise by the question.

"That's still a long way to go."

He shrugged. "You should give it a bit of thought. You need a backup plan just in-case you don't like it. Blue became a gym leader and Red vanished. If I was in there shoes I'd probably start up a museum so people could learn about the history of the events that happened here in Ecruteak. What about you?"

Lyra thought hard. If she became Champion… and that was a big _if…_ she didn't know what she would do. She wanted to become the Champion of course, but the more she learned about the role, the less keen she was in sticking with it for too long. Waiting for months… even years for the next Champion to arrive would become boring after awhile. Going on another adventure sounded more exciting. "I would want to seek out Red."

"If anyone can, it would be you."

Morty was a nice guy and all – he was someone she could see herself becoming quite good friends with in the future – but all this unnecessary complimenting made her uncomfortable. "Thanks for the meal, Morty, really, I mean it. I haven't had a good meal since I left home." And that was well over a year ago now. Time had certainly flown by.

"Anytime."

Lyra was running out of things to talk about at this point. Fortunately, the waitress returned with their meals. The meal couldn't have arrived at a better time. Food, a perfect distraction to avoid awkward conversations. She dug into her meal as did Ethan, but Morty didn't even touch his. He wasn't even looking at his plate; rather he was looking at the exit. Lyra looked in his direction. Whitney was standing in the doorway and she did not look impressed.

"You'll have to excuse me," Morty said, standing up from the table, looking upset at the interruption. He walked over to join Whitney, while Lyra helped herself to her food.

.

Whitney released his arm and glared at him as if he had done committed a great crime. Morty had an idea he knew what the crime was and it involved him spending quality time with a girl other than Whitney. He braced himself for a lecture which was rather embarrassing considering the girl was two years younger than him, just turning fifteen recently. "You're spending time with her?"

"She's an interesting trainer, I'd like to get to her know better," Morty replied, keeping his voice low.

Whitney snorted. "Interesting?"

He nodded. "I don't see why it concerns you, Whitney. Who I choose to spend time with isn't for you to decide." He tried to turn away, but Whitney gripped his arm.

"You think she's the one?" He could detect a hint of jealousy in her tone. Whitney probably thought he was interested in Lyra in _that_ way which of course, he wasn't. Lyra had earned the attention of Suicine and that meant she deserved his as well. If he stood at her side and protected her, he might be fortunate enough to catch a glimpse of Ho-Oh.

"To bring back Ho-Oh? Yes."

"Nothing else?"

He narrowed his gaze. "Not in the sense you are implying." He pushed her arm aside and headed back to the restaurant's entrance. His meal was probably getting cold now. Whitney seemed to pick up on his negative vibe and took a few steps back. She didn't say anything, but he knew she was not happy. She was probably going to tell Falkner that Morty was spending time with someone else instead of her. Falkner wouldn't do anything to help her though since Whitney was a nuisance. He headed back inside and returned to the table, relieved to find his meal still relatively warm. "Sorry, about that," Morty said to Lyra.

She shrugged. "It's all right. Ethan and I were just talking about my remaining journey. Jasmine informed me I have to head to Mahogany Town next to face off against Pryce."

"I hear he's a tough trainer," Ethan said.

"Cold as ice," Morty replied. "They call him the Winter Trainer; he uses the elements to help him win battles. If you can withstand the cold, you'll be able to beat him. I'd suggest wearing something warm when you enter the gym."

Lyra smiled. "Thanks for the advice."

Silence fell between the trio as they concentrated on finishing their meals. Ethan finished his first and excused himself to go to the bathroom leaving Morty alone with Lyra. There weren't too many females within the city he spent time with. Most of the time, he preferred to hang out with his ghost-type Pokemon rather than with other people. The girls in Ecruteak were either twice his age or off limits so he didn't really have much of an opportunity to socialize anyway. Lyra breathed new life back into the city and had made him realize he wasn't the one to capture Ho-Oh after all.

"I suppose I should be going, I've got a long road ahead of me," Lyra said, putting her knife and fork down on her plate.

He felt a surge of disappointment rise up inside. "You'll be fine, Lyra. You've conquered over half of Johto already." He nodded. "All the best. I'm sure I'll see you again in the near future since you seem to enjoy this city." Why did she keep returning here anyway? To see him? No. She probably came here because of the beautiful sights surrounding the place.

"Thanks for everything, Morty. I really mean it." She stood up from her table. Morty did the same and guided her out of the building after paying the bill. The next few moments caught him by surprise as Lyra gave him a quick hug. He suspected giving hugs was something Lyra did. She seemed like the type. "I'll be sure to return when I can."


	21. Protectors of the Earth

Thanks to PKMNfanSakura for reviewing chapter 3. Thanks to mirrorkinomoto for reviewing the previous chapter.

 **.**

 **Chapter Twenty: Protectors of the Earth**

Mahogany Town looked like the sort of place her grandparents would've loved to have lived in. The weather was pleasant; it was not hot, nor was it cold. It was a happy medium in between the two extremes. It was rather cloudy in this area, but that was most likely due to the location of Mount Mortar. Clouds were attracted to it like a moth to a light.

"Oh, hi there miss! Are you a trainer?" A young girl with a round face, and bright cheerful blue eyes approached her, a smile on her youthful face. She looked to be about ten or eleven years old.

Lyra nodded. "I'm here for my seventh badge."

"I'll go and find my grandfather then. I'll let him know a challenger has arrived." The girl skipped away. While the girl had gone off to find the gym leader, Lyra explored the town. It reminded her of her own hometown of New Bark. Both towns were small, severely underpopulated and lacked state-of-the-art facilities. The town was built to the south of a great lake, and surrounded by a large number of pine trees according to her town map.

Lyra even noticed there was no Poke Mart in the town. She regretted not stocking up items in the previous place, but how was she supposed to know there was no shop here? Fortunately, there was a Pokemon Centre nearby. At least she wouldn't have to run all the way back to Ecruteak City to heal up her fainted Pokemon.

"There she is! That's the trainer who wants to challenge you, grandfather!" The girl Lyra had spoken to earlier had now returned, eagerly pointing a finger at her. Lyra looked in the girl's direction and was surprised to see an elderly man. He looked to be at least somewhere in the early sixties.

"Let me get a look at you, girl," said the old man, walking over slowly with support from his walking stick. He stood about a metre away from her and looked down, his brows furrowed. "Hmm, yes… you look like a strong trainer…" he said, studying her like a predator watching its prey. "Lisa, get Lance. Tell him to come outside."

Lisa rushed into a nearby house and returned moments later with another male. Lyra's jaw dropped open. No way. Not _that_ guy again. The dragon-boy with the bizarre cape fetish. "You!" she blurted out immediately. "I remember you! You're the one who tried to steal my Gible a couple of years ago!"

The guy called Lance simply stared at her. "We meet again, Lyra." His eyes studied her face for a few moments, then dropped then quickly moved back up again. "I see you decided to update your wardrobe."

"And you haven't updated yours," Lyra retorted. At least she knew what his name was this time. She didn't have to refer to him as the thief, the dragon-boy, or cape guy with the cute Dragonite any longer. Lance. She snorted. What an ordinary sounding name. She turned her eyes to the old man. "I'm here for my seventh gym badge." It felt kinda weird to be the one demanding a match – she had become so accustomed to people challenging her, it didn't feel natural to ask for a battle.

"Before you challenge me, you need to prove yourself worthy," he stated calmly.

 _Why is this not surprising?_ The gym leaders of Johto certainly made it difficult to obtain a badge. "What do I have to do?" She had faced Team Rocket in Azalea Town and rescued the Slowpoke from them. She had faced Archer in Mount Mortar and escaped unscathed. She had rescued the lighthouse Pokemon by chasing off the grunts guarding the door. And she had, of course, obtained six badges already. What else was there to do to prove her worth?

"You will accompany Lance to the Lake of Rage. Something is amiss up there. You need to solve the problem… I would do it myself, but as you can see from my age, I am in no condition to go on a trek through the wilderness," the old man said, eyes boring into Lyra's own. "Do not return until you have discovered a solution. This is your test."

Lance glanced in the old man's direction, eyebrows arched in what Lyra interpreted as surprise. Lyra frowned. "Why does he have to come?"

"I have to make sure you complete the task," Lance answered.

"Oh, I see." So, she was to travel to the Lake of Rage with Lance? That was going to be an awkward trip. "Well, we should probably get going then. I want my seventh badge." She started heading towards a random direction, then stopped. "Er, which way to the Lake of Rage?"

"Don't you have a map?" Lance answered. "We head north."

Of course. She knew that. "I was just testing you," Lyra said, trying to restore some dignity, aware her cheeks were burning hot. Not exactly the best way to leave a good impression on the next gym leader. "You passed. Congratulations." He gave her a roguish smirk, and she immediately headed towards the north, her head low.

.

"She's changed a fair bit since I last saw her," Lance said, watching Lyra's retreating form. The last time he had seen her, she had been wearing mismatched overalls. She also had her hair tied up in pigtails. Now, she was wearing a dress, and her hair was styled in a bob. At least it was an improvement over her farming fashion style. But it wasn't just her appearance that had changed.

The girl had matured; he could see it in her eyes. She was no longer a rookie trainer finding her place in the world. Lyra had spent over a year away from home now – that alone was enough to force trainers to mature a faster rate than one who wasn't. The confusion, the helplessness and the nervousness was gone from her face, replaced with confidence, determination and pride. She had come a long way and experienced more than what most trainers did. Spending more time with her was certainly going to be an unpredictable adventure.

"You'll have to travel through the night to reach the Lake of Rage in time, Lance," Pryce said, eyes also fixed on Lyra. "My Pokemon become more unsettled with each passing day. You do not have much time. Focus your efforts on reaching the lake. Do not become distracted by anything else, do you understand?" Now he looked at Lance.

Lance nodded. "I'm not going to abandon Lyra in the forest to chase after Team Rocket on my own. I thought we had already been over this."

Pryce studied him carefully then nodded. "I'll keep you updated on Team Rocket's happenings here in Mahogany Town. I wish you all the best, Lance." Pryce bowed his head respectfully and returned to the gym. Lisa chased after him, after waving goodbye to Lance. Now he was alone with Lyra again, but this time there meeting had a purpose. He strode over to join her side.

"What happened at the lake?" she asked, looking up at him with curious deep brown eyes. Straight to business then.

"Team Rocket happened." There was no point in hiding the truth; the girl was going to find it out eventually.

Her eyes darkened. "Team Rocket again…" she muttered. "Everywhere I go, they keep showing up. I wish they would just leave me alone."

So, she had encountered the grunts on more than one occasion. "We have to brace ourselves for the worst. Team Rocket have established a base right here in Mahogany Town to force the Pokemon of the lake to evolve. We won't be able to stop it from happening, but we can find a way to lessen the damage."

"Where's the Champion? Isn't this supposed to be his job?" She muttered. "I keep finding myself in situations where I have to be the one to confront Team Rocket."

"You can't fight destiny, Lyra."

Lyra sighed. "That's probably why Suicine took such in interest in me earlier."

Lance almost froze. Lyra had encountered Suicine as well? What else had the girl done? He decided not to question that thought further. Pryce had told him not to get distracted, after all. His goal was simple – assist Lyra in defeating Team Rocket. "We should be careful. The Lake of Rage is home to a school of Magikarp. When Team Rocket's plan turns into action, we could find ourselves facing quite a few temperamental Gyarados'. We'll have no choice but to take them all out. On a lighter note, we could just face one."

Lyra's gaze softened. "The poor Magikarp… why would anyone want to force their Pokemon to evolve? Who could be so… selfish to put their Pokemon through that pain?"

He snorted. That was an easy question to ask. "There are many reasons. Some choose to forcibly get their Pokemon to evolve so they can become stronger quicker, and others force their Pokemon to evolve out of desperation. Not every person is a born a trainer – some have to work exceptionally hard to get to the top, while others just seem to cruise by." He looked to Mount Mortar's peak, feeling a bubble of shame rise up inside. Every time he looked at the mountain, it reminded him of the days he had forced his three Dragonairs to evolve into their final evolution.

There was an awkward moment of silence between them as they continued to travel further up north, following the only path north. The further away from the town they walked, the more dangerous the journey became. The grass was longer here which meant they were more likely to face an ambush of wild Pokemon. Some wild trainers also lurked around the forest, hiding in the shadows until a trainer crossed their path. Most of these battles usually ended in a loss for the unsuspecting trainer.

He noticed she was looking at him, studying him closely. "If you don't mind me asking, how old are you?"

"I was about to ask you the same thing."

"I turned sixteen awhile ago. I'll be turning seventeen in a couple of months. What about you?"

Sweet sixteen. The bratty age, as he liked to called it. "How old do you think I am?" Some people thought he was in late twenties. Others thought he was in his mid-twenties. Apparently, he looked older than he actually was. Anyone who took the path of becoming a dragon master had to mature faster than other trainers. Dragons were much harder to train and tougher to get along with and that created a lot of stress.

"Twenty-something?"

"I'm actually twenty but I will be twenty one in a few weeks, does that surprise you?" It certainly surprised other people when he told them that. He was the youngest trainer ever to make it into the Elite Four.

She nodded. "Yes, it does. You look like you should be older than twenty." Another moment of silence fell between them. He hoped their age gap didn't make her unwilling to work alongside with him. It wasn't _that_ great of a gap anyway. "So that's why the old guy sent you to accompany me. To baby-sit," she muttered darkly.

"I'm not here to baby-sit. You've proven simply by reaching Mahogany Town you don't need anyone to watch over you," Lance answered, then brought her attention to their surroundings. "But as you can see, we're in a dangerous place right now. A lot of trainers go missing here. It's not a place you should visit alone. Wild trainers make their homes here."

"Why do you call them wild trainers?"

"Because they're wild?" He paused. "We call them wild trainers because they are unpredictable. They prefer to make their homes in places where their chances of escape are highly likely. These people cannot be reasoned with, nor do they fight fairly. They don't play by the league rules, choosing to live by their own ones instead. They teach their Pokemon to attack the trainer first, to weaken them so they are unable to continue the fight," he explained.

A visible shudder raced down her spine. Lance regretted his choice in words. Had he scared her with the comment about the missing trainers? She instinctively moved closer to him. That simple move took him off guard. He wasn't accustomed to people standing in his personal space, but strangely enough, he wasn't bothered by it. "Have you been up this road before?"

"A few times. I got attacked once, but Dragonite sorted them out pretty quick. Speaking of Dragonite…" He came to an abrupt halt, grabbed a pokeball and threw it down onto the ground. Dragonite appeared. "You're less likely to get attacked if you have a Pokemon at your side." Lyra summoned her Gabite. The dragon was almost the same height as Dragonite. Lance studied her Gabite. "Impressive."

"My Gabite has longer fangs than your dragon," Lyra pointed out, grinning.

Childish, but he couldn't help but grin in response. "That may be so… but my dragon can fly."

"Mine can dig holes," Lyra replied, like digging holes were the greatest things ever.

"And my Dragonite can spin around in circles…" Lance lazily replied, smirking.

Lyra rolled her eyes. "All right, I get the point. Your Dragonite is better… but just you wait until Gabite evolves again." Lance thought of a comeback, but before he could speak it out loud, he heard a twig snap. Lyra heard it too. She turned her head in the direction of the sound, eyes wide. "What was that?"

"A wild trainer… a wild Pokemon… or worse, Team Rocket. We are being watched." He held out an arm to stop Lyra from moving forward. "Don't make any sudden movements. The more frightened you act, the more likely they'll come after you."

"What do we do then?" she whispered.

"We stick to the shadows and continue moving forward. Come, this way," he said, jerking his head to the left. They moved to a row of thick trees and stood under the shadows, doing their best to blend in with their surroundings. With his black attire, he managed to fit in quite well with the shadows and dark coloured trees, but Lyra stood out like a Shiny Dratini in a sea of normal Dratini. "Quick, on the ground," he ordered, immediately dropping to the ground.

"Wha-what?"

He grabbed her arm and pulled her down beside him. "Look in between the blades of grass. Do you see what I see? Two Team Rocket grunts. They're heading towards the lake." He recognized one of the grunts immediately. Executive Ariana. The other one just looked like the typical average Rocket grunt. They were speaking and their volume was loud enough for Lance to pick up one a few words.

"…Archer's plan has failed… only one of the Magikarp evolved…"

"…It seems the Electrodes have not provided us with the power we need… we need another power source…" Ariana replied.

"…What are we going to tell Archer?"

"…We tell him the truth. The plan failed, but we will still succeed. This is just a setback. Now keep quiet, and keep moving forward. That Red Gyarados is going to be ours." The Team Rocket members continued to move forward until they could no longer be seen. Once they were out of sight, Lance motioned for them to continue moving.

.

Unless she had no other choice, Lyra didn't travel through the night. When the sun went down, the creatures of the night appeared. Fighting battles in the dark wasn't a lot of fun either especially since she lacked a torch and a Pokemon that knew Flash. So when she had the chance to avoid travelling at night time, she took it. But tonight, there was no chance of sleeping in a warm bed at a Pokemon Centre. They had to reach the Lake of Rage before the Rocket grunts did something dangerous. Lyra wished the conditions were better – it was freezing. She tried jumping up and down to keep warm, but Lance told her not to draw attention to herself.

"The lake is just up ahead. We'll be there soon," Lance said.

"Good. I'm dying for some action. A battle will warm me up," she replied, more harshly than she intended. He lifted a brow, and she lowered her eyes, ashamed of herself. "Sorry. I'm not used to travelling at this time of the night."

Lance stopped. Lyra came to a halt as well. "Here, wear this," he said, removing his cape. "It might not provide the same warmth as a bed, but it will do." He handed his cape over to Lyra.

She looked at it reluctantly. "What about you though?"

"I'll be fine, now take it."

She did. "Thank you," she said, throwing it around her shoulders. Lance was right; the cape wasn't as warm as a bed, but at least she wasn't shaking anymore. But Lance was, although he was trying hard not to.

"You know, you don't have to hold it," Lance pointed out.

Lyra looked down, realizing her hands were gripping his cape around the base of her neck. "Oh… right." She fumbled around with it, trying to attach it to the back of her dress but couldn't quite do it.

He chuckled, watching her struggle when he finally came to assist. "Here, let me do it." Lyra felt his hands touch her upper back, as he attached the cape to her dress. One of his fingers brushed against the bare skin on her neck, sending a shiver down her spine. "There we go. You won't have to hold it now." He took a step back. "Hmm… the cape actually looks quite good on you."

She put on a polite smile, unsure of what to make of that comment. Had that been a sincere compliment or was that a joke at her expense? She wasn't foreign to receiving compliments of course – her mother and Ethan gave her heaps of praise, but to receive a possible compliment coming from a guy she didn't know much about? It was quite flattering hearing it come from someone cute. _Wait. Did I just call Lance cute?_ Lyra thought, mentally slapping herself. This was not the time to daydream.

"I hope I didn't offend you," Lance said, pulling her out of her thoughts. "It's just… I didn't think you'd be able to pull the look off… but you have… and…" he paused, rubbing the back of his neck, looking a little awkward. "I'm not making matters worse, am I?"

At that point, Lyra realized she must've been frowning because he looked concerned. "No, not at all. I'm just not used to people saying I actually look good in something," she said lightly, then spoke some more. "Why do you wear capes anyway? I'm sure there's more to it than just having something to keep you warm."

"It's customary for a dragon tamer to wear a cape if they want to become a dragon master in my hometown," Lance replied. "It lets other trainers know you are serious about becoming one."

"So if I wanted to become a Pokemon master, would I get to wear a cape as well?"

He shook his head. "No. It's just something we do back in Blackthorn."

"Oh, so you're from Blackthorn then? What's it like there?"

Lance raised a brow. "I didn't realize we were playing twenty one questions."

"Just curious," Lyra replied, a little defensively. "If we're going to be working together I'd like to get to know you better."

He shrugged. "Fair enough, but you've asked me a few so I think it's my turn now." He grinned down at her. "The last time I met you, you were coming from the direction of New Bark Town. I've never been there myself, so I am curious… did you live on a farm?" His grin widened.

Lyra scowled. "I am not a farmer."

"Did you aspire to be one at the time?"

She glared. "Fashion wasn't important in New Bark. You could wear fluoro yellow shorts and no one would care."

"Were you one of those people?"

He was enjoying this. Lyra could see the amusement in his eyes. She decided to humour him. "I had a choice – fluoro yellow clothes or overalls. I chose the latter." He chuckled, and she found herself laughing as well. "You know, I think I was wrong about you. I thought you were a jerk when I last met you… but you're not actually half-bad."

"I'll take that as a compliment."

"Okay, it's my turn to ask a question. Do you know the members of the Pokemon League Elite Four?"

"Why do you ask?"

Answering a question with a question. Perhaps this was a game of twenty one questions after all. Not that Lyra minded – it was a sure fire way of getting to know the other person pretty quickly, and it was quite enjoyable. "You knew the gym leader of Mahogany, so I'm assuming you must be of some importance."

He paused, looking thoughtful. "Yes, I do."

"That must mean you know the Champion as well then if you know the Elite Four."

He nodded. "I've heard much about them," he said softly.

Lyra felt a wave of excitement wash over her. Lance knew the Champion! There was once a time she didn't want to know a single thing about the Champion, but the closer she came to the end, the more curious she was to learn more. "So, enlighten me. Tell me about the Champion."

"Well, I've heard the Champion is incredibly skilled," Lance replied, expression serious. He then leaned closer to her and whispered, "I also hear here he has an excellent taste in fashion." He drew back, giving Lyra a lopsided grin. "Anyway, no more talk about the Champion. We've arrived." He tapped Lyra on the back and pointed towards her.

They were at the lake already? It seemed like they had just departed for the place. And hadn't it just been night? She could see a glimpse of the sun peeking up from behind the horizon. "It's so beautiful…" Lyra murmured. The sun was steadily rising and now its rays were being reflected in the water. She had seen the sun rise before, but never quite like this.

"Welcome to the Lake of Rage."

The name, Lake of Rage, didn't seem fitting for such a marvellous sight. But it was said the most dangerous things are often the most beautiful. The trek through the pine forest during the night had well been worth it after all. "Oh, I wish I had a camera so I could take a photo," Lyra almost squealed. "I want to show Ethan, my mum, Professor Elm… oh, they would be so proud of me right now!"

Before Lance could stop her, Lyra summoned the rest of her Pokemon then took off her shoes, placing her toes in the water. Refreshing. Her team of six gathered around her, staring at the water. Feraligatr dived in the pool, while the others stayed on the land. Growlithe, in particular, seemed scared to touch the water.

It also seemed like Lance was afraid of the water as well. He stood a few feet away from the water's edge, eyeing it warily. Lyra chuckled. It was a rather funny sight. At the sound of her laughter, Lance jerked his head in her direction, frowning. "What's so funny?"

"Are you scared of water?"

"No," he replied rather quickly. Lyra lifted a brow. "I just don't like getting wet, that's all." Yup. He was scared of water. Well, no matter, he wasn't going to spoil her fun. She knelt down and dipped her hands into the liquid, relishing the cool feel of it against her skin. Temporarily forgetting about her reasons for being here, Lyra lifted her dress up and stepped further into the water.

Feraligatr swam around, using his tail to propel him forward. He swam around in circles, splashing Lyra and Lance with a stream of water. Lyra squealed, laughing, her hair and clothes now dripping wet. Lance was less than amused though, he looked… nervous? Or maybe he was angry she was going to get his precious cape wet. She decided to move it and gently placed it on the grass then continued to splash her Feraligatr with water.

Espeon moved closer and dipped a dainty paw into the water. She jerked it back quickly, but put it back in again. Gabite and Shelgon looked at each other, as if daring the other to dive in first. Staravia sat on a nearby tree, on the highest branch available, watching the other Pokemon. And Growlithe? Growlithe stayed on the grass. Espeon built up the courage to jump into the lake, paddling towards Feraligatr.

Then, there was silence.

"Lyra! Get out of the lake!" Lance suddenly yelled.

Feraligatr and Espeon stopped splashing around, turning to look towards the centre of the lake. Lyra followed their eyes. There, in the centre was a large red serpentine creature. The Pokemon was just as large as Jasmine's Steelix, only it lived in the water and not on land. The Pokemon's jaw was so big Lyra could've sworn her house could fit inside its mouth. She stepped back onto the shore, reaching for her Pokedex to obtain some information.

 _Gyarados. The final evolution of Magikarp. They say that during past wars, Gyarados would appear and leave blazing ruins in its wake._

A Magikarp turned into _this?_ Before Lyra could make sense of it, the Gyarados fixed menacing eyes on Lyra's two swimming Pokemon, letting out an eardrum-shattering roar before charging.

Lyra didn't waste another second. She ran towards the water and jumped in, ignoring Lance's protests. She swam towards her Pokemon as fast as she could, but her dress was making the process so much more difficult. Still, she persisted, intent on saving her Pokemon from the wrath of the scary red Pokemon. Espeon and Feraligatr swam back towards Lyra, but the Red Gyarados got to them first.

"Leave them alone!" Lyra screamed. "Staravia, keep the Gyarados distracted!" Staravia jumped off her branch and flew towards the Gyarados, swooping at the creature's eyes. Gyarados turned away from Espeon and Feraligatr, and attempted to attack Staravia instead. The bird flew around in circles, just managing to avoid the Gyarados's fangs. "What the…" Lyra spluttered. She felt a powerful force behind her, pulling in her in towards the mighty creature.

She looked behind her and immediately wished she hadn't. A large funnel of water stood between her and the Gyarados. The twister was spinning at such an incredible rate and generating such strong winds, all objects, living and non-living, were affected. Trees bent over, shaking violently, while the water itself moved as if it were alive. Lyra fought hard to keep her head above water. A beam of purple hit the water a few inches away from her. She yelped, and went under water as another wave came over her.

.

Lance could only watch as the girl was attacked by the rogue Gyarados. She was thrashing wildly, trying to keep her head above the water. Her Pokemon were faring no better than she was – the Gyarados had created a storm so vicious not even a fully-evolved Pokemon could overcome it. _Your job is to watch over Lyra,_ Lance scolded himself. _Not watch her drown._ But try as he might, he could not jump into the pool of water.

Everyone was afraid of something, the Elder had once said. Lance liked to pretend he wasn't scared of anything, but the truth was, he was terrified of being in a large pool of water. Swimming wasn't exactly one of his strong points. Dragonite looked expectantly at him. Lance sighed. "You're right. I have to go in there." He took in a deep breath and took a running leap into the water.

He struggled to stay afloat in the wild waters. Dragonite flew towards the Gyarados, and attacked it with his own dragon attack, but that only enraged the Red Gyarados further. It started to thrash, swinging its tail back and forth, creating mammoth waves. He closed his eyes as a wave came rushing towards him. It was like a punch in the face. Lance wasn't sure how water-type specialists trained in these sort of conditions. Wallace, the current Champion of Hoenn, was known to spend countless hours every day training in rough seas.

He heard Lyra scream. He could see her now, clinging onto her Feraligatr as if her life depended on it. She shouted a few words he couldn't quite make out over the sound of the raging twister, but it looked like an order to attack. He grunted with surprise as a massive tidal wave suddenly appeared. "Now Feraligatr! Surf!" At first, Lance thought she was ordering her Pokemon to attack the Gyarados. Didn't she realize water moves did little damage against other water types? The wave struck the Gyarados but it did little to calm the Pokemon. However, the sheer power of the wave managed to drive Lyra and her two Pokemon back towards the shoreline. The girl was exhausted now.

Lance lifted himself out of the water, and hurried over to help Lyra back onto the shore. He was soaking wet now, but so was she. She collapsed on the ground, panting heavily. He looked down at shuddering form, amazed. Lyra had put her own life on the line to rescue her Pokemon. "So…cold…" she chattered.

He didn't have anything either than his own cape to keep the girl warm, but it would have to do. He picked it up from the grass, and draped it over her as if it were a blanket. Her hands clasped the edges of his cape, wrapping it tightly around her. He felt strangely vulnerable without his cape on. But he couldn't worry about that. The Gyarados was still causing trouble.

"It's beautiful, isn't it?" A voice called out from behind him.

He knew that voice well enough. Ariana. Lance turned around and sure enough, the executive was standing there, mouth morphing into a wicked sneer. "What did you do?"

"We forced the Magikarp to evolve, of course!" She held her head back, cackling. "But only one worked – it seems we didn't have enough power to force them all to evolve… those that didn't evolve, died."

A hot flood of anger poured through him. "What you are doing is madness! Forcing a Pokemon to evolve… it isn't right."

Ariana shrugged. "You can save your morals for someone who cares, Lance." She turned back to the Gyarados, admiringly. "Look at what we have done. We have evolved a Magikarp into the magnificent and powerful Gyarados. Can you imagine what the results will be when we manage to force the Shiny Dratini to evolve?" She grinned.

A muscle jerked in his jaw. "You stole the Shiny Dratini."

"We have big plans for her."

"Where is she?" he demanded.

Her grin widened. "Now why would I want to tell you that?" He growled. She laughed. "You know, you look kinda cute when you're mad. But fine. I'll tell you. The Shiny Dratini is now with Archer." Her eyes fell on Lyra's half-conscious form. "All we need now is the girl and our plan is complete."

"Lyra?"

Ariana nodded. "It took us awhile to realize it, but after Archer confronted the girl himself in Mount Mortar… he realized she was the final key in our plans to dominate the world. She's special. _Very_ special. She's thwarted our plans more than once already. She's the key to finding Red, the one responsible for chasing Giovanni away."

Lance's anger evaporated, replaced by confusion. "So… is this what this is all about? Locating Red?"

"It's much deeper than just 'locating Red', Lance. Red ruined everything for us. It's because of Red that Giovanni lost interest in Team Rocket. We want to find him, so we can make him pay for what he's done to us," she snarled, spitting at the ground. She took in a deep breath, trying to calm herself down.

Lance frowned. "And you think by stealing Pokemon and forcing Pokemon to evolve is going to bring you one step closer to your goal?" He snorted. "That's ridiculous, even by Team Rocket standards."

Ariana moved towards him, so close he could almost feel her hot breath on his skin. "I'd love to tell you more… but we're here to make that Gyarados ours." She stepped back. "So, if you don't mind, please step back." She strolled over to the water's edge and faced the Gyarados. "Red will pay for what he has done." Reaching down to her belt, she pulled out a pokeball and hurled it at the Gyarados.

Light burst from the ball. The Gyarados was pulled in by the magical force. The light faded, and the ball rocked back and forth. "You don't have the strength to contain the Gyarados in the ball," Lance pointed out. "It will not obey you. Gyarados will only obey the strongest of trainers, not the _weak,"_ he spat. "Dragonite!" His trusty Dragonite landed beside him, wings outstretched.

Ariana grimaced. Her pokeball had begun to shake violently now. For a few moments it shook until the ball reopened freeing the Red Gyarados. The Gyarados towered over the trainers, eyes burning like black fire. "I'll see you two down at the base." She turned around and ran back towards Mahogany Town, narrowly avoiding a beam of draconic rage.

"Sorry Gyarados… but I have to put you down," Lance said, gazing up at the creature. "Dragonite, use Hyper Be-Lyra?" The girl was standing now, tired but determined eyes fixed on the Gyarados. She moved to stand directly in front of it, trembling from the cold. "Lyra…" he said, concerned. "There's nothing we can do. The Gyarados needs to be put down."

"No," she said softly, shaking her head. "It's not Gyarados' fault. I'm going to capture it." She threw a pokeball at the Gyarados. Once again, the Gyarados was pulled into a ball by magical light. The ball rocked back and forth, shaking violently like it had with Ariana. Lance was beginning to have his doubts now – Lyra might have proven herself to be strong enough to obtain six badges, but did she have what it took to tame a Red Gyarados?

The ball stopped moving much to Lance's surprise. "You actually did it…"

She picked it up, placing it in her bag. "I have no room for you now Gyarados… but I will use you when the time is right." She removed Lance's cape off her shoulders and returned it. "Thanks, but I think it looks better on you than it does on me."

He took it back and put it back on, secretly pleased to have it in his possession once again. He didn't feel so vulnerable now. "We'll have to head down into Team Rocket's base now. Are you alright with that?" He couldn't read her facial expressions; he couldn't tell if she was sad, angry, or just plain confused.

"I will do whatever it takes to stop their evil from spreading."

Her stare was hard, her voice cold. Something had changed. "You're not alone. I'll be there with you."

She turned her head sideways, giving him a faint smile. He caught a glimpse of the trainer he had met way back in Azalea Town. "Lead the way."

.

Lyra followed Lance inside a building, sticking close to his side. He seemed to know where he was going and what he was doing, so she was happy to follow. Lance stormed over to the guy at the counter. To anyone else, the guy just seemed like some ordinary shop assistant, but underneath that disguise, was a cold-hearted Rocket Grunt. "Erm, can I help you?" the male squeaked.

"Open the door!" Lance ordered.

"Wha-what door?"

Lance grabbed the man's shirt and jerked him towards him. "The door to your base. I know it's here."

The man tried to pry Lance's fingers off his shirt, but failed to do so. "I... I don't know… what you are talking about."

"Allow me to assist," Lyra said, stepping forwards. "Espeon, use Confusion!" Espeon jumped up into the table and stared into the man's eyes. The fear in his eyes faded, replaced by a misty doe-eyed look. "Where is the door?"

Lance released his grip and pushed him forward roughly. The Team Rocket grunt wondered over to the far right hand corner of the room then knelt down, feeling the floor with both his hands. They moved around a bit until they suddenly stopped. The grunt dug his fingers under a loose floorboard and lifted it up. Following that, he lifted up the surrounding floorboards until a ladder was revealed.

Lance looked at Lyra. "Are you ready?"

She nodded. "Of course."

"I'll head down first and make sure there are no grunts waiting to attack." Lyra nodded again. Lance looked at her for a few moments then pulled away. She sat down on the ground and looked down, watching him climb down the ladder. Over a year ago she had encountered Lance in the forest near Azalea Town, and now they had met again, albeit under different circumstances. It was almost like this alliance was meant to happen.

"Lance?" Lyra called down.

She did not receive a response. Instead, she heard something which sounded like a fight taking place. She decided not to wait for his signal, and immediately started climbing down. What if he was in trouble? She climbed down the rungs and soon reached the floor. She hopped off and looked around. There! Just a few feet away from the ladder was Lance… and one unconscious grunt. She didn't ask any questions – she didn't have to. Judging by the way he had dealt with the previous grunt, Lyra could only assume this one had been roughed up as well.

Lance caught her gaze and shrugged. "There are two passwords required to gain entry into the power source room. The common grunts don't know what they are, but this one here told me Ariana and Petrel know them."

"Ariana? Petrel?"

"Team Rocket executives. You met Ariana previously at the lake." He looked around, readjusting his cape. "I think it would be wise if we remained together. This is dangerous territory after all." Lyra nodded. She didn't see a reason why not to team up. They were both after the same goal after all. She remained at his side as they both ventured further into the warehouse. Fortunately, the place was well lit so it was easier to get around.

Strangely, there were no grunts present. It was unsettling. Were there cameras around the place watching their every move? It just seemed odd that the main headquarters of Team Rocket would be so empty. Perhaps they had fled the moment they heard they were coming.

"Strange. Where is Team Rocket?" Lance said, breaking the silence.

"I was just thinking the same thing."

"Perhaps Ariana warned them we were coming…" He paused, looking ahead at the junction before them. One path led to the right and the other to the left. "I hate to say this, but I think we need to split here. If you come to a dead end, backtrack and join me on the right. I'll do the same. Stay safe, Lyra." He took the right path and Lyra moved to the left.

Now that she was alone again, she realized that Lance's temporary absence had a greater impact on her that she thought was possible. She hadn't been with him for a long time, but she had gotten to know him reasonably well. It was almost hard to believe this was the same guy she accused of stealing her Gible. He was rather likable. Good-natured, easy to talk to, keen to defeat Team Rocket… all the makings of a good friend.

 _Enough of that,_ she scolded herself. _Focus on finding Team Rocket._ Pushing aside thoughts of Lance, she focused on the path ahead. She continued moving forwards until she spotted a double grey door. There was a buzzing noise coming from behind and Lyra knew this just had to be the source room. She glanced over her shoulder, hoping to catch a glimpse of Lance. No sign of him. She moved forwards.

"Stop right there," said a male voice.

Lyra froze.

"You're not going anywhere," said another. This was a voice she recognized – Ariana, the Team Rocket grunt from the Lake of Rage. "You'll come with us."

Lyra turned around, hands moving to her belt. "What do you want?"

Ariana, the red-headed lady, pointed a finger at her. "Your journey ends here, girl."

.

Lance soon realized he had taken the wrong path. There was absolutely nothing of interest here at all, not even a single crate. It was just a path of emptiness. "I'm glad to have finally met you in person," a voice said behind him, prompting Lance to turn around. A tall man with purple hair leaned against the wall. "Mind if I get your autograph? I am _such_ a fan."

"Drop the act. I know who, and what you are. You're Petrel, an Executive of Team Rocket. Give me the passwords into the power room."

Petrel moved away from the wall. "Sure… but before I do that, let's talk." He moved towards Lance, palms pressed together.

"You're stalling."

He shrugged. "I have the information you seek… You don't have to stay; you can run after that girl if yours if you'd like… but then you'll miss out on my information. What's it going to be, Champion?" he drawled, eyes boring into Lance's own dark eyes.

Lance hoped Lyra was safe. She was strong enough to hold her own against one Rocket member, but an executive as dangerous as Ariana? He sighed. "Fine. I'll stay. Why do you think Lyra is the key to finding Red?"

Petrel's smirk widened. "Straight to business."

"Just get to the point."

"Lyra stopped Proton at the Slowpoke Well. At first, we thought she might have just gotten lucky, but when it happened again… we knew she was the one. She managed to drive off two of our strongest grunts in Olivine's lighthouse a few months ago. She defeated a grunt in Ecruteak City. She's more than just your average trainer, and Archer noticed that when he met her himself in Mount Mortar," Petrel said, moving closer.

"And the point is?"

"Come on, Champion. From all the things I've heard about you, I thought you might be smarter than this." Lance remained silent. Petrel sighed. "Every year, a handful of trainers are born, right? Some will go on to be great trainers and others will fail. Only a small percentage of them go on to achieve greatness, yes?" He pointed at Lance, circling him. "Then there are trainers like Red. Masters of Pokemon. A prodigy, some would say. They come from nothing yet they go on to forge a legend that will last forever."

"You are calling Lyra a prodigy?" It would make sense. Her skills were improving at a dramatic rate.

"Archer sees it now. She's following in Red's footsteps. She'll lead us to him, and we'll be able to get our revenge."

Lance narrowed his eyes. "What makes you think Lyra will want to seek out Red?"

"People are drawn to greatness. Why do you think you have so many fans?"

"No one knows where Red is. If someone knew, don't you think the media would've reported it? He remains hidden because he doesn't want to be found."

Petrel shook his head. "Perhaps he wants to be found but remains hidden, waiting for another true champion to reveal themselves. The legendary beasts were released for a reason – to find the next true champion."

"Lyra's strong and smart enough not to bend to your will. She'll never help you."

Petrel threw his head back and laughed. "She already has. She's revealed to us through her actions, that she is the one. Archer let her leave unscathed because he knew she was special. He knew she would return. Everything happens for a reason, Lance. Why do you think you and I are here in this room having this discussion?"

Had his grandfather always known Lyra was a special trainer? He frowned, troubled. "So why is Archer forcing Pokemon to evolve? Does he think that will bring Lyra to him?"

"Originally, the plan was to find a way to contact Giovanni again so we could show him that Team Rocket is determined to carry out his wishes. Cutting off Slowpoke tails, forcing Pokemon to evolve… it was all our way of attracting global attention so Giovanni would notice us. But Giovanni has yet to reveal himself, so we've had to… alter our plans slightly. Now it's about finding Red. Once we find and defeat him, Giovanni will return."

"That will never happen."

"And people thought Team Rocket was believed to be defunct after Giovanni left." He lifted his hands. "But, as you can clearly see, we are well and truly alive. All we need now is for Lyra to lead us to Red."

Lance glared. "You will not have her."

Petrel pointed a finger at his face, his lips curved in a mocking smile. "You can't protect her forever, Champion. One of these days she'll simply… just disappear like Red did all those long years ago." He chuckled. "It was Red's destiny to protect the region… and now it will become hers. Oh, by the way? I don't know the passwords. Ariana does. Now if you will excuse me, I have someplace else to be." He tried to walk past Lance, but the dragon master blocked his path.

"I'm not letting you leave."

Petrel hissed, eyes narrowing into slits. He charged, but Lance managed to evade the attack. Usually, he let his Pokemon do the fighting, but sometimes some matters could only be resolved with an old fashioned fist fight. Fortunately, Lance had picked up a few techniques whilst he had been studying under Chuck – knowing a few basic moves were necessary when it came to grappling with dragons.

Petrel attacked again, this time trying to land a punch at an eye. Once again, Lance evaded the attack, but in doing so, accidentally tripped and landed on his back. Petrel pounced. "You will not destroy our plans, Champion," he spat, saliva dribbling down the side of his mouth. Gross. Lance acted immediately, and struck him in the nose, hard enough to cause Petrel to yelp. He rolled off Lance, clutching his nose, which had begun to bleed.

Lance scrambled away, then stood up, panting. Blood was seeping through Petrel's fingers now and onto the floor. Tiny puddles of blood formed around his feet, but the man was still eager to carry on fighting. The fight wasn't over yet, and knowing Team Rocket, Lance knew Petrel was going to fight dirty. They circled each other. "You should be letting your Pokemon fight."

"I know I'm not strong enough to defeat you in a Pokemon battle," Petrel spat, forcing more blood onto the ground. He wiped his nose. "You should know we don't fight by your rules. We'll do whatever it takes to win." He edged forward, wiping blood away from his nose again.

"Team Rocket failed before. You will fail again."

Petrel sneered. "That's where you're wrong."

The Rocket executive moved forward, and before Lance could defend himself, he heard the sounds of a woman issuing threats from another part of the warehouse. Ariana. Lyra was in trouble. Temporarily distracted, Lance left himself open to an attack. Petrel tackled him into the nearby wall, smacking his head against it. Lance groaned, and attempted to swing a punch, but Petrel pinned his arms against the wall, prohibiting him from doing anything with them. Lance tried to free himself, but Petrel held him firmly, his hold unrelenting.

"Dragonite, use Hy-" Petrel clamped a bloody hand over Lance's mouth preventing him getting the rest of the words out. Dragonite stood a couple of feet away, waiting for his command. He would not attack unless he knew it was safe to do so or he had been commanded.

Petrel shook his head. "I wouldn't do that if I were you… one powerful beam like that and you'll cause this place to explode," he whispered, withdrawing his hand. "Good. You're going to let me leave." He removed his hands. For a split second, Lance thought Petrel was going to walk away like he said, but then he spoke again. "But I can't take any chances so I have to put you down at least temporarily, so my friends can finish your pet off." That's when Petrel slammed a knee just beneath the centre of Lance's pokebelt. He dropped to the ground like a sack of bricks while Petrel walked away, his cold laughter ringing in the air.

Fiery pain consumed him. He lay there on the ground, all curled up, desperately fighting hard to keep tears at bay. Lyra was in trouble. He _had_ to get to her. But try as he might, his body refused to move. Dragonite waddled over, peering down at his master. He crouched down so Lance could climb on aboard. He clung onto Dragonite's scales, and somehow found the strength to lift himself up onto his back, then collapsed in a heap. "Find Lyra," he said in between gasps.

Dragonite nodded, launched himself into the air, and flew through the corridors, keeping close to the ground.

.

There was no escape. The two grunts had backed her into a corner. She had to fight her way through this one. Think of this battle like any other battle, she told herself. She summoned her first Pokemon. Espeon. She reached down for another pokeball when someone else called out. "Hold it right there!" Lance… on a Dragonite? He climbed off and limped towards her, looking as though he had been in a fight. "Ganging up one trainer? That's so unfair! Allow me to join in!"

Lyra didn't ask questions. Now wasn't the time. It was time for battle and she knew she was strong enough to take on Ariana and the other grunt, but perhaps this battle would give her a chance to learn more about Lance's battling technique. "Espeon, use Psybeam on Grimer!" she ordered. Psychic-type attacks did great damage against poison-types. Grimer fainted.

"Use Dragon Tail!" Dragonite roared, and swung his tail, smacking the Arbok in the face. The cobra fainted immediately.

"Gloom!"

"Drowzee!"

"Use Dragon Tail, Dragonite!"

"Psybeam on Gloom, Espeon!"

Two more Pokemon fainted. For a Team Rocket trainer, Ariana wasn't very strong. Lyra couldn't shake off the feeling this was intentional though. Were they stalling? Wasting time on purpose? Or testing her to work out her strengths and weaknesses? It was too late to back off now though. The nameless grunt dropped to the floor. Ariana hissed. "You think you've won this battle? It's not over until we say it's over. Murkrow!"

A tiny cutesy avian appeared. The tufts of feathers sitting on its head looked like a hat. "Dragon Tail!" And just like that, the Murkrow fainted.

Lyra turned to Lance, frowning. "Hey, that was mine."

He gave her a sheepish grin. "Sorry." He turned his gaze on Ariana. "Step aside, Ariana. You're finished. The experiment on the Lake of Rage has failed. Give us the passwords."

"Slowpoke Tail and Raticate Tail. Shut down the power source here. It's no longer of any use to us. This was just a trial, an experimentation." She turned to look at Lyra, gaze hardening. "I'll see you again, I'm sure of it. You can't just keep your nose out of trouble, can you?" She then turned to Lance. "And you. Go back to your job. This isn't about you." She hurried away.

Lyra entered in the passwords and the door opened. "Oh my…" There were six Electrodes, three on either side, attached by many wires to a large device in a glass box. The power source. The object responsible for forcing a poor Magikarp to evolve. She could feel the rage of her Pokemon from their pokeballs.

Lance looked at the Electrodes sadly. "We have to make them faint. It's the only way we can safely free them from their wires," he said, as Lyra gave him a surprise look. "I don't like, but we don't have another option. It won't take much to cause them to faint though, they're already severely weakened. I'll take the three on the right; you deal with the ones on the left." He slowly made his way to the opposite side of the room while Lyra headed to the left.

She summoned Gabite and Shelgon to assist Espeon in causing the Electrodes to faint. The Electrodes were defeated easily enough as Lance had predicted. Lance stood in front of the control panel and pushed a few buttons and the power turned off. With it no longer running, Lyra and Lance set to work in freeing the Electrodes from their wires. "Should we take them to the Pokemon Centre?"

"I'll sort things out there. You head to the gym. Pryce is expecting you."

Lyra frowned. "So I guess this is goodbye?"

"For now, yes," he answered, nodding. He almost looked sad.

"But you're hurt."

"Nothing I can't handle. We will meet again, I promise." Lyra wasn't convinced. He jerked his head towards the door. "Once you defeat Pryce, you'll want to head to Blackthorn. Oh, take this before you go. You'll need it. This is the potion containing the move, Whirlpool." He gave her a clear blue potion. "Take care, Lyra. It's been a pleasure fighting alongside you."

She walked over to him and gave the trainer a hug, which caught Lance by surprise. He had come to her aid twice now, once at the lake and here inside the warehouse as well. She didn't have anything to offer him, other than a hug. She then pulled back. "Don't say anything. You look like you needed one. Thank you for everything, Lance." He was still too shocked to form a coherent sentence, so he just nodded. Lyra headed towards the entrance, feeling a great sense of loss. Lance had said he would meet her again and she hoped it would be soon.


	22. Fire and Ice

Thanks to mirrorkinomoto for reviewing the previous chapter

 **.**

 **Chapter Twenty One: Fire and Ice**

As soon as Lyra entered the Mahogany Gym, she really wished she had brought a jacket with her. And some jeans. Maybe some ski gear even. In light of the events at the Lake of Rage, Lyra had forgotten all about Morty's advice about wearing warm clothing. The cold in here was ridiculous; how could it be so cold in here when it was so warm outside? It was like being in some giant freezer. Her teeth chattered. Wrapping her arms around her body, she moved towards the first gym when she was stopped by the gym advisor.

She was pleased to know he too was shivering. "Welcome to Mahogany Gym," he said through chattering teeth. "This will be your coldest battle yet, no pun intended. Trainers here all use ice-type Pokemon so you can melt them with a Fire-type or beat them down with Fighting-type or ground-type moves. Your opponent Pryce waits in the third room. To reach there, you'll have to put these ice skates on," he said, pointing to some flashy new ice skates. They were orange coloured. "Good luck, trainer!"

Lyra picked up the skates. She removed her shoes and put them on. She had never skated before so this was going to be an interesting experience. Treat it like rollerblading. She heard a voice in the back of her head say, which sounded much like her mother. That would be easy if she had rollerbladed as well.

She took a cautious step forward and tried to steady herself, keeping her arms outstretched like she was a bird about to take off into the air. This was going to be the most physically challenging gym. It was easy to understand why not many people made it this far with gym designs like these. Awkwardly, she stepped onto the ice.

She took another step forward and fell down. Falling on ice felt much worse than falling on the grass or sand. Her backside was throbbing; hurting from the pain, and numb from the cold. It was even worse because she wasn't dressed in the appropriate clothing. Fortunately, with persistence, she managed to get to the other side, after sustaining multiple injuries in the process.

Now she was in the second room. There were two trainers here. A boy and a girl both dressed in ski gear. The guy had a snowboard, and the girl was standing on a pair of skis. Lyra slowly made her over to the girl. Her name was Diana. Diana looked her up and down. "Aren't you feeling just a little bit cold? Never mind, a battle should warm you up. Go Jynx!"

Lyra had seen many strange looking Pokemon throughout her journey, but Jynx was certainly the strangest of them all. It appeared to look like a bulky woman. The Pokemon had long, sleek blond hair, and thick pink lips that would make all the women at Goldenrod Gym jealous. The Jynx wore a red dress… at least it looked that way.

 _Jynx. It rocks its body rhythmically. It appears to alter the rhythm depending on how it is feeling._

 _Yup, definitely a Pokemon Whitney and her fellow gym trainers would love._ "Okay, this is your fight, Growlithe!" Growlithe faced the Jynx, eager to battle. "Growlithe, use Flamethrower!" Growlithe's latest move hit the Jynx hard, encasing it in flame. The stench of burnt hair filled the hair.

"Jynx," Diana called, pointing a pole at Growlithe. Use Heart Stamp!" The Jynx puckered its lips, and placed her hands over the golden circles on her dress. Lyra frowned. The Jynx thrust her hands sending forth a floating pink heart. The heart hit Growlithe, knocking her over onto her side. Fortunately, it appeared to do little damage.

Growlithe picked herself back up again, wagging her puffy tail. "Take that Jynx down! Use Flamethrower!" Another burst of fire exited Growlithe's mouth. Jynx was covered in flames once again. This time, she struggled to beat the flames out. The Jynx fainted. Victory number one.

She awkwardly moved over to the male snowboarder. His name was Patton. "It's double-battle time! Do you have what it takes to defeat my Swinub duo? Let's see it!" He summoned his two Pokemon.

 _Ice-type Pokemon were certainly strange,_ Lyra thought. Two Pokemon that looked a bit like a pig appeared before her. But unlike common pigs, these two were covered in shaggy, brown hair.

 _Swinub. It rubs its snout on the ground to find and dig up food. It sometimes discovers hot springs._

Lyra wished she was standing near a hot spring right now. She was freezing. Judging by the Swinub's colour, she assumed it was also part-Ground. She returned her Growlithe, and brought out Feraligatr and Espeon.

"Swinub's, use Mud Bomb!"

"Toto, use Surf! Espeon, use Shadow Claw!"

The Swinub's vomited sticky brown stuff onto the floor, and kicked it in the direction of Espeon. _Gross,_ Lyra thought. Fortunately, Espeon was fast enough to avoid the blow and easily evaded it. Feraligatr wasn't so fortunate, but barely took any damage. Espeon counter-attacked, and struck the Swinub on the left with her paw, while Feraligatr mustered up a powerful wave, by shattering the ice with his tail. The tidal wave swept the two Swinub away, including the snowboarder. Another battle won.

Getting from room to room was proving to be more difficult than the actual battling. She fell down a few more times before finally reaching the other side. Her skin was red, thanks to the frequent contact she had made with the ice. "I hope I win the battle the first round..." she said aloud. Having to redo this did not sound appealing at all.

She stepped through into the third room. There were three trainers here – one female skier and two male snowboarders. She also spotted Pryce on the far end of the room. To get to him, she had to bypass all three trainers. She clumsily walked over to the male on the far left, almost tripping over in the process.

His name was Deandre. "Pryce taught me everything there is to know about ice-types. You'll never get past me!" He threw three pokeballs out. Triple battle time. Lyra was beginning to like these battles a lot more now, having fought in a few. They were more difficult because it required better strategy, but also more exciting.

Three white seals appeared. Two of them had round chubby faces, while the largest of the three lacked the fat around its face. Aside from that distinguishable sight, the seals looked very similar to each other. It was like Mankey and Primeape all over again. She examined the small seals first with her Pokedex.

 _Seel. Although it can't walk well on land, it is a graceful swimmer. It especially loves being in frigid seas._

She then identified the mature looking seal.

 _Dewgong. The evolved form of Seel. Its streamlined body has little drag in water. The colder the temperature, the friskier it gets._

 _Sounded nasty,_ she thought. An ice and water-type hybrid. That could be troubling, because the water part would render any fire-base move useless. Ice-type attacks would obliterate her two dragons and newly evolved Staraptor. But she needed three Pokemon to battle. "Espeon, Feraligatr and Staraptor!"

"All of you use Ice Shard!" The three seals hurled large chunks of ice at Lyra's Staraptor. Staraptor fainted.

Lyra cursed. Now she had to replace Staravia with another Pokemon who was super weak against them. She brought out Gabite, with the sole intention of keeping him underground for the duration of the battle. "Espeon, use Psybeam! Toto, use Crunch! Gabite, hide underground with Dig!" Her Pokemon obeyed. Gabite dug a wide hole, while the other two Pokemon jumped into the fray. Espeon struck a Seel while Toto took care of the other Seel.

"Seels, use Headbutt! Dewgong, do the same!"

The three sea lions charged forward, ramming their horned heads into Toto and Espeon. Espeon let out a cry of pain as she was rammed in her left flank, while Feraligatr held his own ground, forcing the Dewgong back. "Use Shadow Claw, Espeon! Toto, take down that Seel with Crunch! Gabite, now is the time to attack!" It was a risk, but it needed to be done. Gabite jumped out from beneath the ground, headbutting the Seel, causing it to faint. Toto and Espeon worked together to take out the other Seel leaving the Dewgong the last Pokemon standing.

"You burn hot!" Deandre exclaimed. "But the battle ain't over yet! Dewgong, use Ice Shard on the dragon!"

 _Uh-oh,_ Lyra thought. Gabite was struck hard by the attack, causing him to faint. Two Pokemon down now. She really hoped Pryce didn't have a Dewgong on his team. "Espeon, Psybeam! Toto, use Crunch!" The combination of her Pokemon's moves was too much for the Dewgong to handle and it fainted.

Lyra moved onto the next trainer, Skier Jill. "You've done pretty good to reach me, but your journey ends here! Go, Dewgong!"

 _Not another one,_ Lyra inwardly groaned. She brought out Espeon, hoping the feline's immense special attack would take the Dewgong down hard and fast. "Espeon, use Psybeam!"

"Dewgong, use Aurora Beam!" A colourful beam left the seal's mouth, colliding with Espeon's own special beam. Thankfully, Espeon was a few levels stronger than the Dewgong, and managed to force the other attack back.

"Espeon, use Shadow Claw!" With a glowing purple claw, Espeon pounced, swatting the Dewgong squarely in the eyes. Dewgong hissed, and retaliated, swinging its tail. Espeon jumped out of the way, rolling over onto her side.

"Use Aurora Beam again, Dewgong!"

Espeon was hit again. The feline wobbled on her legs. Potion time, Lyra thought, hurrying over to give her cat a much-needed hyper potion. Espeon immediately felt better, standing on four sturdy legs. "Finish him off with Psybeam!" This time, her move dealt a critical blow resulting in a loss for Skier Jill.

Onto the final trainer now. She wondered what Pokemon this guy would have. Three Dewgongs? She certainly hoped not. "If you want to get to Pryce, you have to get through me! It is triple battle time!" said Gerardo. He summoned three Pokemon to the battlefield. A Seel and two purple pearl-like Pokemon.

Lyra turned her Pokedex to the small shell Pokemon. An enormous pink tongue hung out of its shell.

 _Shellder. It swims facing backward by opening and closing its two-piece shell. It is surprisingly fast._

She then turned the Pokedex to the floating shell Pokemon. This one had two layers of shell – the face was encased inside a light grey one, while the outer shell was a jagged, blue-violet case.

 _Cloyster. The evolved form of Shellder. Once it slams its shell shut, it is impossible to open, even by those with superior strength._

She put her pokedex away. Lyra revived her Gabite and brought him back to the battlefield. Dragon Rage looked to be the only move that could inflict some serious damage on the Cloyster. To support Gabite, she brought out Espeon and Feraligatr again. "Gabite, use Dragon Rage on Cloyster! Feraligatr, use Crunch on Seel! Espeon, use Psybeam!"

Fortunately Shellder went down in one hit. Seel endured Espeon's Psybeam while Cloyster shrugged off Feraligatr's attack. Dragon Rage hit the shell-creature hard though. The Cloyster shuddered. "Seel, use Ice Shard on Gabite! Cloyster, Aurora Beam on the dragon as well!" Gabite fainted again, but at least he managed to get some damage in, making the battle easier for her other two Pokemon.

Seel was taken down with a Shadow Claw. Now only Cloyster remained. Lyra didn't have any super effective moves to break through the hard shell. All she could rely on here was skill… and a large amount of luck. "Use Crunch, Toto!" Feraligtr lunged forward, clamping his powerful jaws on the Cloyster's shell. It didn't do much damage; the Cloyster's armour was virtually impenetrable. If she wanted to do some damage, she'd have to strike it in the face.

"Espeon, direct your Psybeam towards the Cloyster's face!" Espeon charged forward and threw herself into the space between the Cloyster's inner shell directing a beam in its eyes. The Cloyster howled, and fell to the ground, struggling to close its shell. "Now use Quick Attack!" Espeon dashed forward again, swatting the Pokemon in the eyes, delivering the final blow. The Cloyster fainted. All that remained was the Seel.

"You're tough! You might actually stand a chance against Pryce!" the trainer exclaimed. "Seel, use Ice Shard!"

"Dodge it, Espeon and use Quick Attack! Toto, use Crunch!" Espeon attacked first, speeding past the slower Feraligatr, slashing at the Seel's face. Toto finished the battle by clamping his jaws around the Seel's waistline. Seel fainted. Another victory won. Now it was time to face Pryce and obtain her seventh badge.

.

Archer paced back and forth, fingers drumming on his chin. Victory was so close, he could almost taste it. "Now Director Stanley, you will not scream, is that understood?" Archer said, looking down at the pitiful man cowering before him. The man had a thick tape over his mouth, preventing him from forming any coherent sentence.

Stanley nodded. Archer bent down and removed the tape off the man's mouth, casting it aside onto the ground. "Why are you doing this?" he blurted, sweat beads running down the sides of his face.

"To fulfil Giovanni's wishes… and to defeat Red for putting us in this situation in the first place," Archer explained, grabbing a chair to sit besides Stanley. Stanley flinched, afraid. Archer chuckled. "Now Stanley, don't make me mad. My patience is wearing thinner than usual today. My grunts have failed to their tasks well. This is our last stand. I will not tolerate failure."

"You will never succeed!"

Archer brought his face close to Stanley's, his breath washing over the director's face. "Even if I do lose today… my deeds will be remembered. My actions will inspire other organizations to rise up from Team Rocket's ashes. I will be remembered." He grinned. "But you, dear director, will not be remembered. You have achieved nothing of importance. But I give you the chance to be remembered for something. What do you say, old man?"

The man spat. "I will not… submit myself to you."

The leader of Team Rocket shrugged. "Your loss then. I guess I'll just give people another reason to remember me for." He strode over to the radio broadcasting system, and grabbed the microphone. "Everything has come down to this very moment. The Slowpoke tails were used to infuriate the Magikarp at the Lake of Rage, to force them to evolve. The tails we didn't use we sold to make profit to create the machine. The Electrode we stole allowed us to power our machine in Mahogany Town to speed up the evolution process. And now, the wonders of radio will allow me to spread our message across all of Johto. All that is missing now is the girl. She holds the key to our success."

"You… are mad!"

Archer chuckled. "Ah director, you amuse me. You will sit there in that chair bound, while you watch as I conquer the rest of Johto. After Johto, I will move onto conquer Kanto. I will find Red. I will crush him and every other trainer that seeks to defy me. And if… by some miracle I fail, at least my name will be remembered."

The director tried to break free from the rope binding him to the chair, but he failed to untie himself. Archer watched the old man struggle, amusement etched onto his features. Stanley glowered at him. "Evil never triumphs! Giovanni is long gone!"

He received a slap. Archer's hand left a stinging red mark on Stanley's face. The man flinched, biting hard down on his lip. "Don't test me, old man." Archer moved away from the chair and walked over to the windowsill, gazing down at the streets below. His grunts were stationed around the city, blocking off main streets, keeping the locals imprisoned in their own houses. He was expecting Lyra, and hoped she had been following the trail of breadcrumbs he had left. "And soon, it begins."

.

Her arms and legs were sore now; every move sent a shudder of pain throughout her body, but she persisted. She was so close. "I knew you would pass the test. The people of our town are in your debt, Lyra." Pryce bowed. "But allow me to formally introduce myself." He cleared his throat. "Pokemon have many experiences in their lives, just like we do. I, too, have seen and suffered much in my life. Since I am your elder, let me show you what I mean. I have been training Pokemon since before you were born. I do not lose easily. I, Pryce – the Winter Trainer – shall demonstrate my power!"

Lyra felt a chill run down her spine hearing those words. She was going up against decades of experience – could she overcome that with pure heart? Or would Pryce show that experience triumphed? Before the battle started, Lyra revived and healed all her Pokemon. Pryce summoned his first Pokemon, a Seel. _Another one of those wretched things,_ Lyra thought. She didn't have anything that worked against it well. She summoned Staraptor.

"Seel, use Hail!"

Hailstones started to fall from the ceiling, striking everything caught in its path. Lyra yelped as a couple of the stones landed on her head. Fortunately, the stones didn't fall from a great height so it didn't hurt as much as they normally would. Still, it was a nuisance. "Staraptor, use Aerial Ace!" Staraptor took to the air, swooped down, hitting the Seel with a wing. Hail continued to fall, pelting Staraptor and herself.

Seel whined as it was struck, but recovered well enough. "Seel, use Icy Wind!" The Seel whipped up a powerful breeze. The falling hailstones struck the avian hard, causing the bird to plummet to the ground, landing with a thud. Staraptor weakly picked herself up and shook her wings, squawking as another couple of hailstones fell.

"Staraptor, use Take Down!"

Staraptor threw her entire weight against the Seel, toppling it over with her talons. Some of the damage rebounded though, throwing Staraptor over onto her back. More hailstones fell. Staraptor fainted. "Dammit," Lyra cursed, recalling her fallen avian back. She summoned Espeon. "Use Psybeam, Espeon!"

Seel had taken enough damage from Staraptor that it easily fell to Espeon's attack. Pryce was down to two Pokemon now. He summoned his next Pokemon, a Dewgong. _This was going to difficult,_ she thought.

"Use Rest, Dewgong!"

That move caused Lyra to raise her eyebrows. Dewgong hadn't taken any damage. So why use Rest to recover? "Espeon, use Psybeam!"

"Dewgong, use Sleep Talk!"

Although the Dewgong was fast asleep, it was still able to attack. Colourful rays left the Dewgong's mouth striking Espeon. Hail was still falling. Lyra's head started to hurt. Damn hailstones, she thought. Can't these gym leaders fight fairly? "Espeon, use Shadow Claw!"

Dewgong woke up, but he nimbly avoided Espeon's attack, sliding across the ice flooring. "Use Rest!"

Lyra suppressed a frustrated growl. Such moves really ought to be banned; it just wasn't fair. But that was probably the idea – use annoying status moves to frustrate the opposition into making rookie mistakes. Lyra willed herself to calm down. She needed to be patient and focused to win this. Dewgong recovered its health again, and fought back with another Sleep Talk. Once again it used Aurora Beam.

"Psybeam!"

Espeon's attack hit. Dewgong woke up again, and the same cycle repeated. It went back to sleep, used Sleep Talk, and struck Espeon with an Ice Shard. Espeon was running low on health now, so Lyra gave her a hyper potion.

"Dewgong, use Rest!"

This was like fighting Whitney and that damned Miltank all over again. Rest. Recover. Inflict damage. Rest. Recover. Inflict more damage. It was torture. "Use Shadow Claw!" Espeon swatted the Dewgong. Dewgong used Rest again. Lyra was ready to tear her hair out at this point. Time to bring out the heavy artillery. She recalled her Espeon and brought out her Gabite. Dewgong didn't immediately wake up this time, allowing Lyra to get an attack in before Gabite fainted again. "Use Dragon Claw!" Gabite rushed forward, and slashed at the Dewgong with a glowing purple claw.

"You must be desperate to use a dragon against me. Dewgong, Sleep Talk!" Gabite was hit by critical Aurora Beam. He fainted.

Lyra summoned her Feraligatr to the battlefield. At least Dewgong's moves would be unable to inflict any serious damage against hers. "Feraligatr, use Crunch!" Toto sunk hits razor sharp fangs into the Dewgong's hide. Dewgong woke up and used Rest again restoring all its health. She held back a bitter outburst. No time to act like a petulant bratty teenager.

"You remind me of someone else who battled against me a number of years ago. I think it might be seven or eight years now," Pryce said. "He too tried to use a dragon against me… and he failed miserably. Your team might not consist wholly of dragons, but you are showing the same level of determination he did."

Was Pryce deliberately trying to start a conversation to throw her off? "I'm not giving up. Not now, not ever."

Pryce smirked. "That's what I like to hear. I believe he said the exact same words as well. Too many of you young folk give up far too easily. But you – Lance – Red – you are the reason I still battle today even in my old age. Trainers such as yourself are a sheer delight to battle. Why do you think I sent you and Lance to the Lake of Rage to tackle Team Rocket?"

Lance had battled against Pryce as well? "I thought you did it to test all challengers seeking for their seventh badge."

He shook his head. "No. I sent you specifically because I heard about your prowess in battle from Whitney. I was curious to see if you could take that skill to the next level – did you have the courage to face the Gyarados at the Lake of Rage? Did you have the strength to face it? And most importantly, could you make a difficult decision? Did you capture the Gyarados or did you put it down?"

"I kept it. He's at the Pokemon Centre sitting in the storage at the moment. I'm going to use him when I feel the time is right."

Pryce smiled. "You made the right decision. Most trainers would just put it out of its misery, but you chose to show love and forgiveness instead. I knew I was right sending you to the Lake of Rage. You will go a long way in this world, Lyra." He turned to his Dewgong. "Use Aurora Beam!"

Feraligatr endured the attack. "Use Crunch!"

This time, Dewgong did not use Rest. Perhaps the Pokemon had used up all its recovery moves. Thank Arceus for that. "Use Ice Shard, Dewgong!"

"Keep using Crunch!"

Feraligatr's jaws crushed through the ice shards. He charged forward, jumped and landed on the Dewgong and sunk his fangs into the thick fat of the seal. Dewgong hissed, uttering a cry of pain. Feraligatr roared, and struck again, slamming his tail against the opponent. After what seemed like a long battle, the Dewgong finally fainted.

But the battle was not over yet. Pryce had one Pokemon left. He brought it to the field. A large mammoth-like Pokemon appeared. It had shaggy brown hair like a Swinub, and large tusks on either side of its snout. Its facial features were covered completely by the long hair.

 _Piloswine. The evolved form of Swinub. Because the long hair all over its body obscures its sight, it just keeps charging repeatedly._

"This is it. The final round. Show me your skill as a trainer, Lyra."

"Are you ready, Toto?" Lyra asked, glancing at her reptilian friend. The crocodile nodded, wagging his tail. "Then let's finish this! Use Surf!" Feraligatr lifted his tail up and slammed the ground, creating a crack. The ice split, and a large volume of water gushed out. Toto mustered up a giant tidal wave and directed it towards the Piloswine. The wave smashed into the mammoth-pig hybrid, drenching it with water.

"Blizzard!"

A fearsome snowstorm whipped up, inflicting mass amounts of damage to the room. Lyra shuddered, her body trembling from the cold. She could hardly see through the vicious roaring snowstorm, but Feraligatr seemed to be able to sense where the Piloswine was. Lyra dropped to her knees, her teeth chattering. It almost felt like the blood running through her veins had turned into freezing cold liquid. "Not now… not giving up…" She forced herself to stand.

Hailstones and ice struck her in the face, leaving stinging red marks. It was as if the ice itself had ripped the skin off her face. "Willow is my middle name. Willow is flexible and not easily broken. I'm not giving up yet," she heard Pryce say over the howling wind. Lyra brought her chin to her chest, squeezing her eyes shut.

"Use Surf again, Toto!"

She heard her loyal companion roar again. Another tidal wave appeared, moving fast through the blizzard. There was no escape from the wave, and Piloswine was washed away. The blizzard died down, revealing only one Pokemon left standing. Feraligatr. Lyra sighed with relief. She had won the battle.

"Hmm, seems as if my luck has finally run out." He walked over to assist Lyra to her feet, extending a hand. Lyra grabbed it and lifted herself up. Pryce smiled down at her. "I am impressed by your prowess. With your strong will, I know you will overcome all life's obstacles. You are worthy of this badge!" He gave her a hexagon-shaped badge which had an image of a snowflake engraved on a aqua coloured background. "That's the Glacier Badge. And this, this is a gift from me!" He reached down into his coat again, this time pulling out a tiny vial of white liquid. "That bottle contains Hail. It summons a hailstorm which damages all types except Ice. When the ice and snow melt, spring arrives. You and your Pokemon will be together for many years to come. Cherish your time together!"

"Thank you," Lyra said, taking the badge.

"Your next stop will be Blackthorn City. There you will face your toughest battle yet – Blackthorn is home to the dragons, and home to the Champion of Johto and Kanto. You may have dragons yourself, Lyra, but this will still be a tough fight. Take what you have learned over the past few years and use that to your advantage." He bowed again. "It's been a real honour battling you. Please stop by before you face the Elite Four."

Blackthorn City. Sounded like a rather scary place to visit. "Thanks for the advice. I'll be sure to keep it in mind."

"To reach Blackthorn, you'll have to cross the Ice Path. You'll find it to the east of here. But before you go, you should drop by Goldenrod City. Sources tell me Team Rocket have taken over the Radio Tower. Go now and forge a legend that will forever be remembered."


	23. For Honour and Glory

No one to thank this time, but happy readings!

 **.**

 **Chapter Twenty Two: For Honour and Glory**

A couple of years ago she had walked along this street to fight for her third badge. Now, she was here to defeat Team Rocket once and for all. The streets were heavily guarded with Rocket Grunts. They were everywhere; every single street was blocked, and every building entrance guarded by a pair of grunts. The city was in lockdown.

Many pairs of eyes fixed on her as she strode up the street, their eyes watching her every move. She dared not to look directly into the eyes of the grunts. They were here to intimidate her, not to battle. "Get out of my way!" A voice bellowed, cutting through the silence. Two grunts ahead of her were roughly pushed aside as a familiar face made himself known. Silver.

Their eyes locked. "I should've known you would be here. Are you eager to join up with Team Rocket or something?" he taunted.

"I'm here to put a stop to them."

Silver snickered. "Wasting your time with the weak only makes you weaker." He raised a finger, pointing it at her. "Are you here to play the hero? Well, that's foolish." A bout of raucous laughter exited his mouth. He ceased his laughter and cast a dirty look in her direction. "Why protect those who can't protect themselves? I say let them all suffer. That's what they deserve for being weak."

Lyra shook her head. "This is worth fighting for. You probably don't see it, Silver – maybe one day you will, but Team Rocket must be stopped. You can hate me all you want but you know deep down that I am right," Lyra said. She wasn't sure why she was even bothering to reason with the guy; he had proven numerous times he would not listen, but she still wanted to try. Surely, there had to be some part of him that cared for the well being of Pokemon.

Silver's jaw tightened. "You're right about one thing. Team Rocket must be stopped."

"Then stand at my side and help me defeat them."

He snickered. "You think I want to team up with a bleeding heart like you?" He threw his head back and cackled until his laughter died down. He stormed up towards her and pointed a finger in her face. "I don't need you – I don't need anyone's help to make it to the top. You're on your own." He stormed past her, pushing her roughly to the side. Lyra almost tripped over her own two legs, but fortunately managed to regain her footing. She glared daggers at his back then proceeded towards the radio tower, scolding herself for wasting time with someone like Silver.

The doors were guarded by a dozen grunts, but they stepped aside allowing her to enter the building. It was as if they were expecting her. At least she didn't have to worry about fighting a whole group of them because she wasn't sure if her Pokemon would survive. One of the grunts approached her. "Archer awaits you inside."

 _Weird._ The grunts could easily take her out and end it here but they chose not to. Archer had promised to face her when the time was right though. He wanted it to be perfect and it seemed like he wanted her at peak strength. She took in a deep breath and entered the building. All the staff members of radio tower were pressed up against the wall, guarded by grunts. Lyra moved past them following the directions up the stairs.

There were more grunts here and more helpless staff members. The entire tower had been overrun. Whatever Archer's plans were it did not bode well for the rest of the region. She continued moving up the stairs, feeling nerves surface within. Three grunts approached her, smirks plastered on their faces. She recognized two of them immediately – Ariana and Proton. The other one with the purple hair must be Petrel.

Ariana crossed her arms over her chest and looked Lyra up and down. "It seems you survived then… a pity, but your luck ends here. I would crush you myself, but Archer insists you are not to be harmed."

"Go on to the next level. Archer waits for your arrival," Proton said.

"You might have thwarted all our plans, but you won't escape this," said Petrel.

The executives stepped aside allowing Lyra to go up another flight of stairs. All was deathly quiet; it was unnerving. She saw an elderly man tied down to a chair, a tape over his mouth. His eyes widened upon seeing her – she recognized him as the man back in the dance hall where the grunt had stolen the Surf bottle. She walked over to him and removed the tape then kneeled down, removing the rope that bound his hands together.

"Are you all right?" she asked.

The man nodded, gasping for breath. "You must turn back! You're the key to his success! Please Lyra, save yourself!" he blurted.

She frowned. "What do you mean?"

He sniffed. "You need to leave! Let someone else do this."

"I need to stop Archer. Just wait here." She moved away from the director and headed up the final flight of stairs. She was on the highest level now and surrounded by glass windows. There was an open door nearby. Archer must be outside waiting. She headed outside, stepping onto the roof. A cool breeze brushed up against her skin. On the opposite side standing on the ledge was Archer. She took a few steps towards him, taking in a deep breath. The fate of the world rested on her shoulders.

.

Lance paced back and forth, black cape fluttering behind him. A few hours ago he received a call from Whitney telling him Team Rocket had taken over the Radio Tower. He had gotten here as fast as he could, but was delayed for an hour or two because Dragonite was having trouble staying airborne in the wild winds. He had to take the rest of the journey by foot and was reminded of how physically exhausting it was to walk everywhere.

Eventually, he reached the southern gates of Goldenrod, but he didn't walk through the gates. That was too dangerous since the place was heavily guarded by patrolling grunts. To get in safely without drawing suspicions, he had to dress like one of them and to do that, he first had to lure one over in his direction. That was an easy enough task though since the common grunts were pretty stupid. Lance hid behind a couple of trees then ordered Dragonite to create a scene. The dragon rammed his shoulder into one of the trees, causing the leaves to rattle.

One lone grunt standing close by glanced in his direction. He frowned, took out his pokeball and walked over to Lance's hiding spot. Any moment now… Lance crouched down, ready to attack at the right moment. "Dragonite, stay behind those shrubs over there. Do not attack until I give the word." Dragonite frowned, but did as commanded and hid behind a couple of thick bushes.

The grunt drew closer… closer… and closer… Lance tackled the grunt to the ground.

"What the heck?!"

Lance punched the grunt in the nose. The grunt squealed, hands flying to his now hurting face. "Keep your mouth shut," Lance hissed. A whimper escaped the grunt's throat and the guy nodded. Lance rolled off him, stood up and dusted himself off. The grunt was looking at him with frightened eyes.

"Oh my… you're Lance, the Champion."

"That's right."

The grunt curled up into a ball. "Please don't hurt me! I mean you no harm! I only joined up yesterday but they didn't tell me this was going to happen!" he whimpered. Either the grunt was a really good actor or he was actually terrified. Not that it mattered to Lance - he was a grunt and deserved no mercy. "I'll do anything! I swear!"

"I want your clothes."

"Wha-what?"

Lance rephrased his response. "I need entrance into the city and I can't enter looking like this. Try to escape and my Dragonite will harm you," he stated calmly as if he mugging grunts for their clothes was something he did on a daily basis. The grunt murmured and climbed to his feet. "You can change behind the bush." Without saying anything more, the grunt staggered over to a bush and changed out of his clothes. Lance looked down at the ground until the grunt was done.

He threw his clothes over the top of the bush for Lance to pick up. The Dragon Master picked them up and scrunched up his face in disgust at what he was about to do. Mugging grunts and wearing their clothes wasn't what he classified as fun, but he had to make sure Lyra was going to be all right. She could handle Archer, but what if the other grunts decided to take matters into their own hands and come after her? Someone had to get her out safely.

He quickly changed into the grunt's attire and left his own gear with Dragonite. The shirt fit fine, but the pants were another story. _Super_ skin-tight pants. So tight he hardly breathe. He never felt so ridiculous looking before in his life. This must be how Lyra felt when she was walking around the region in her farming attire. Like a fool.

Dragonite stepped out from behind his bush and looked at Lance. He made a funny noise which Lance suspected was a Dragonite's way of laughing. "Yes, I know I look ridiculous but you don't have to laugh about it."

"Don't forget the hat," the grunt said from behind his bush.

 _Ah, yes, the stupid cap as well._ He bent down and picked it up. Putting the hat on was a task itself. Team Rocket grunts obviously styled their hair in a way hats fit on their heads with no problems at all. Grumbling, he did his best to flatten his hair so the cap would remain on. Once the cap was on, he did a couple of leg stretches then marched over towards the gate. Another grunt was standing there now. A female.

"Why did you leave your post?"

Lance searched for a quick answer. "Uh, bathroom break?" he replied.

The woman frowned then nodded. "We are shifting places – you are to stand guard down at the tunnels. You'll be alone down there so you need to keep your eyes peeled. No falling asleep on the job, got it?"

Lance nodded. "Understood." The woman looked him up and down then mumbled something about 'not bad at all'. She walked away and Lance made his way towards the Goldenrod tunnels. The other grunts let him pass without saying a single word and Lance soon arrived at one of the entrances of the tunnel. He walked down the steps and was relieved to know the woman's information about the place being empty was true.

Now to play the waiting game and hope Lyra was going to be all right.

.

"You made it," Archer said, glancing over his shoulder. "I can't say I am surprised though – you have overcome everything my grunts have thrown at you." He stepped down and faced Lyra. "But your luck ends here."

Dark clouds gathered above. Lyra glanced up, feeling a few spots of rain fall on her face. "Your evil ends here today. After everything you have done… I can't let you just walk away."

He grinned. "I never would've thought a simple teenager could defeat my grunts alone. At first I thought it was simply bad luck on my end. But after hearing about your multiple successes, I realized that you were special. The day you came to me at Mount Mortar… I knew this day was going to come. An epic battle between good and evil." He raised his hands as lightning shot through the clouds.

"Why me?" she said softly.

"Yes, that is a good question. I often ask myself the same question – why me?" He took in a deep breath and sighed. "After Giovanni fell, I was heartbroken. I lost a leader, an idol, and a friend. I felt like I had a lost a part of me when I heard the news Red had forced him to give up on his plans for Team Rocket. I vowed to step in and take control of a motley crew of confused grunts. I rebuilt our organization into the one you see today. This was my calling. To revive Team Rocket and complete what Giovanni could not." He pointed at Lyra. "We all have our roles to play. You are the hero."

"Not everyone can be a hero."

He chuckled. "Indeed… and I'm glad I'm not. Is it not true heroes meet tragic ends?"

Lyra tightened her jaw, hardening her gaze. Archer was asking questions, searching for answers to make her mentally weak before the battle. "And so do those who live to cause chaos," she replied.

Again, he laughed. "You have changed since our last meeting. You are stronger. That is good. Tell me something, Lyra… do you have any regrets?"

Archer was fishing around for a weakness. Lyra shook her head. "I regret nothing." That was a false statement of course. She regretted not being able to save the Magikarp in the Lake of Rage. She regretted being unable to save the wounded Slowpoke. But Archer didn't need to know that. A clap of thunder echoed throughout the streets of Goldenrod. Rain fell, pelting the surface of the roof, making battle conditions less than desirable.

"I only regret that I did not keep a closer eye on Red. If I had an eye on him, I could've tracked him down to defeat him myself. But I didn't, I was afraid you see. Red had destroyed all the work Giovanni had worked hard to build. He then went on to take down the league and claimed the title of Champion for himself. I was just a weak grunt at the time."

"You believe I know where Red is."

He nodded. "You will find him, it is your destiny. You are rewriting history, dear girl. Red came from a small town. You came from a small town. Red defeated Team Rocket, and you have pretty much brought down this organization. Red went on to become Champion, and you are almost there. Coincidence? I think not. I believe you are something of a rare breed, Lyra."

"There's nothing special about me."

He chuckled. "So modest for one so young… Why do you think you are here now? Anyone in the region could be standing across from me, but it's you who challenges me. Not the Champion. Not an Elite Four member. Not even a gym leader. It's you. A nobody from New Bark Town sources tell me." He took a step towards her, smirk widening. Rain fell harder now. "This battle will be remembered for generations to come, no matter what the outcome is. Our names will never be forgotten. Come, let us write the next chapter in history!"

Lyra was soaking wet now. Cold _and_ wet. And mad as well. Archer threatened to destroy everything about the joy of Pokemon battling simply in the name of revenge. If she failed to defeat him now, Team Rocket would go on to conquer the rest of Johto. All Pokemon would become slaves to a mad man. "I'm ready."

He summoned his first Pokemon. It looked like a Koffing, only it had an extra head attached to it.

 _Weezing. The evolved form of Koffing. If one of the twin Koffing inflates, the other one deflates. It constantly mixes its poisonous gases._

Unlike the last time she faced a Koffing, her senses remained unaffected. She suspected the unruly weather had something to do with this. She summoned her Espeon, the perfect Pokemon to battle a Posion-type. "Espeon, use Psybeam!"

"Weezing, use Self-Destruct now!" The large head of the Weezing inflated then started to tremble, turning red in face. It suddenly exploded, causing the Pokemon itself to faint. Espeon also fainted. Cowardly way to battle, Lyra thought. She brought out her next Pokemon, Shelgon while Archer brought out a small mean looking dog. It looked like the baby version of Houndoom.

 _Houndour. It uses different kinds of cries for communicating with others of its kind and for pursuing its prey._

Obviously, Archer was saving his strongest Pokemon for last. The little black dog growled, baring its fangs.

"Shelgon, use Dragonbreath!" A pink flame left the dragon's mouth, smashing into the Houndour.

Houndour jumped back, shook its body, and jumped forward. Archer pointed a finger forward, as a bolt of lightning crossed through the sky. Thunder followed soon after, causing the hairs on Lyra's arm to stand erect. A powerful gale blew through the city, so strong it almost knocked her off her feet. "Houndour, use Fire Fang!"

Fortunately fire-based moves did little damage against a dragon's thick skin. "Use Dragonbreath again, Shelgon!" Houndour received a hit in the face, but still remained on its feet. It gnashed its jaws at the Shelgon, then rushed forward, teeth sinking into the dragon's flesh. Shelgon shook the canine off and fought back, clamping jaws around the dog's foreleg. Houndour howled then dropped to the ground, eyes rolling back into its head. Although these battles had been easy, Lyra had a feeling the true battle was about to start.

"That was just a warm-up, so I could see what sort of a trainer you are. Are you ready for the true battle?"

The rain fell harder, prompting Lyra to squint at her opponent. She could hardly see him through the heavy downpour of rain. "I'll give it everything I have and more."

"This battle determines the fate of Team Rocket. Houndoom!" The canine Lyra had met over a year ago stood before her now, still as intimidating as before. It cracked its whip-like tail against the ground, keeping its eyes trained on her, as if she were something to eat. The dog arched its neck back and howled up at the darkened sky.

Under normal circumstances, Lyra would just rely on Toto to destroy the hybrid fire-dark Pokemon, but she was also battling against the elements. One bolt of lightning would defeat Toto and her Staraptor. Dragons were best tools now, since they were resistant to water, fire and electric-based moves. She persisted with Shelgon.

"Houndoom, use Bite!" The canine rushed forward, and pounced on Shelgon, sinking his fangs into the dragon's backside. Unlike the Houndour, Houndoom's teeth could actually penetrate the thick skin. Shelgon roared, and shook himself in an attempt to throw the hound off. Houndoom's hold was strong however.

"Shelgon, use Dragonbreath!" Pink flame exited his mouth, throwing the dog off his body.

Houndoom jumped back and rushed forward again, using his whip-like tail to strike Shelgon in the face. Shelgon staggered back, growling. "Is that best you can do, Lyra? Show me your true power!" Archer said, over the roaring thunder. Lightning filled the sky again, and one bolt struck the far end of the rooftop. Lyra flew backwards upon impact. She rolled over onto her belly, groaning.

"Feint Attack, Houndoom!"

Houndoom charged, rolling itself into a ball of black flame. It struck the Shelgon, sending the dragon hurtling through the air. Houndoom returned to its usual form and bit down on Shelgon once again, prompting a pained roar to leave the dragon's mouth. Shelgon wobbled then fell onto his side, unmoving. Lyra recalled her Pokemon and summoned Gabite to take Shelgon's place.

"Dragon Claw!"

"Feint Attack!"

The two Pokemon clashed. Gabite tried to hold the Houndoom back with his sharp claws, but Houndoom managed to hold its ground. The canine pulled back all of a sudden then jumped forward, knocking Gabite over. Gabite quickly recovered and swung his tail, the side of it connecting with Houndoom's face. The dog growled and struck Gabite with its tail.

"Give it up, Archer! This battle is lost. Team Rocket is finished."

Archer could only look on, as the two Pokemon fought. Houndoom tried to tear through the dragon's scales but he could do nothing. "So this is how it ends… years of work all gone because of a teenager…" He looked away from his Pokemon and looked at Lyra. "History will remember the battle that took place right here on this rooftop – my legacy will live on as yours will."

Gabite bit into the Houndoom's neck, as he slashed at the dog's nose. Houndoom growled. "You're finished," Lyra spat.

Lightning flashed and thunder rumbled. Houndoom was panting heavily and looked ready to collapse. "Team Rocket is no more. I admit defeat." Archer turned to the Houndoom again. "You are free, Houndoom. I release you." Gabite pulled his jaws away from Houndoom and took a step back. The anger and hatred in the canine's eyes disappeared replaced with confusion. Archer's eyes met with Lyra's and he nodded. "Take this as well; I no longer have any need of it. The Dragon Clan of Blackthorn will be happy to have it back in their possession." He threw Lyra a pink pokeball then turned his gaze towards the horizon.

This wasn't the ending Lyra had in mind. She expected to fight him until his Pokemon were defeated. She was so stunned by Archer's surprising acceptance of defeat she couldn't speak.

"You may have won the battle today, Lyra, but mark my words – peace never lasts forever. Someone else will carry on my work." For a guy that had just the lost the most important battle of his career, he certainly looked rather calm about it. He was even smiling which made Lyra feel uneasy. Archer climbed on to the ledge and looked down below, holding his hands high up in the air above his head. Lightning tore through the sky. "Forgive me, Giovanni." Before Lyra could react, the man leapt off the building, plummeting to the ground.

Houndoom howled.

.

Lance leaned against the wall, arms crossed over his chest. He had been down here for awhile now and not one grunt had come to see him. What was happening out there? He decided to investigate. He crept out of the tunnels and peeked around the corner, noticing a large crowd of grunts and locals gathering around in a circle.

"… just jumped off the building…"

He moved forward and shoved a few people out of his way. He was a grunt for the time being so he had an excuse for being a bit rough. "What in the hells…" Dead. The leader of Team Rocket was lying in a pool of his own blood before him, his entire body broken into pieces. A group of police came rushing over to push people away so they could put up the police tape.

Grunts around him were lost for words, but their expressions said it all. Grief. Horror. Shattered. The mastermind behind Team Rocket had abandoned them, and now their new leader had committed suicide by throwing himself off the ledge. "We have to leave… we're done. We've failed," said a grunt nearby.

"Flee!"

"Where are we going to go?"

"There's nowhere to run! The police are everywhere."

Indeed, all escape routes were blocked by police men and gym leaders from the surrounding cities. Lance spotted Whitney, Falkner and Bugsy with the police, rounding up escaping grunts. But where was Lyra? He temporarily forgot he was a grunt and marched towards the Radio Tower entrance when he came face to face with Bugsy's Scyther.

"It's over, Team Rocket," said Bugsy. "There's nothing here for you now."

Lance turned around as Bugsy and Falkner stormed over to him. "I can explain…" Several seconds later he found himself on the floor, his hands behind his back in a pair of handcuffs. At that precise moment, Lyra exited the building. She looked visibly shaken and he felt a sudden urge to go over and provide some form of comfort.

Her eyes landed on him. She squinted. "Lance?"

"Lance?" Bugsy echoed, glancing down.

Falkner removed Lance's cap. "Lance! What in the name of Arceus are you doing?"

The two gym leaders freed him from his handcuffs and helped him back up to his feet. "It was the only way I could enter the city undetected," he explained. A smile broke out on Lyra's face and she ran over, throwing herself at him almost bowling him over in the process. "I take it you are happy to see me again so soon?"

"I tried to stop him… but Archer… he jumped off the building."

He hugged her back then caught both Bugsy and Falkner looking dumbfounded in the corner of his eye. He could see their eyes burning with desire for their questions to be answered. How did Lyra know Lance? He quickly pulled away. The media would be swarming the area in seconds from now and he didn't want to be filmed in this unflattering outfit. "I'll talk to you later, Lyra." He walked away as quick as possible, returning to the place he had mugged the grunt. Fortunately, the guy was still there much to his relief. Without wasting another second, Lance changed back into his Champion attire.

.

"With the death of their leader, Team Rocket is no longer a functioning organization. The executives have willingly submitted themselves to the law and will face a just punishment. As for the remaining members, they have scattered across the region and are no longer a threat to Johto's people and its Pokemon," Stanley said, speaking into a microphone. Journalists from all over Johto had come to Goldenrod to interview the man following the events of the Radio Tower incident. "Johto is in Lyra's debt," Stanley concluded.

Lyra had become an overnight celebrity; everywhere she went, people wanted to interview her and get her to sign stuff. She was the heroine of Johto, the one who did battle against Team Rocket. Everyone wanted to know her. Websites were developed in her name, first-time parents named their newborns after her and the day of Team Rocket's defeat had been made into a national holiday. She had been given showered with gifts as well – flowers, chocolates, poffins… and a Rainbow Wing from the director himself.

She strolled through the streets of Goldenrod, waving to the locals and smiling. Everyone knew her name now. It was mind boggling. But all this attention had come at the wrong time. She hadn't obtained all eight badges yet, and people were treating her like she had become Champion. As walked down the crowded streets of Goldenrod, and spotted a familiar face in the crowd. She had hoped to see Lance again, but instead she found Ethan. She hurried over to him, greeting her old friend with a tight hug. He didn't feel as good as Lance, but it still felt good to be with someone.

"You did it, Lyra! You saved the region!" Ethan said.

"I didn't do it alone. My Pokemon did all the work," she replied, pointing down at her loyal team of six. They tagged behind her, protecting their master from rabid fans.

Ethan grinned. "It must feel like you're the Champion, right?'

"I still have one more badge to claim."

"I can't believe it's been a little over three years since you started on your journey! It feels like only last week I was showing you how to catch a Pokemon," Ethan said.

"It's overwhelming," she admitted.

"Come on, Professor Elm wants to meet you! He's waiting in Ecruteak City at the dance hall with the kimono girls." Ethan grabbed her arm and tugged her away from the adoring crowds. Lyra summoned her Staraptor, and climbed onto the bird's back, pulling up Ethan alongside her. The bird jumped into the air and flew towards the Ecruteak City.

They arrived about an hour later. Fortunately, the city was quiet. The excitement had yet to reach Ecruteak it seemed; perhaps the majority of people had travelled to Goldenrod to catch a glimpse of the heroine. "I see you survived the crowd rush," Morty exclaimed, rushing over to greet Lyra.

She smiled up at him. "I'm still in one piece, yes."

He smiled. "The kimono girls have cooked up a feast!" Morty ushered her inside.

Lyra and Ethan exchanged grins and followed the gym leader inside the Dance Hall. A blanket had been laid out on the stage hall floor. Various plates of different sizes and colours rested on top of it. Lyra had never seen so many different types of foods and drinks before. Her stomach growled. Three kimono girls sat around the blanket. Naoko caught Lyra's eye and motioned for her to sit with her. Lyra sat down to the right of Naoko and Morty conveniently placed himself on Lyra's other side before Ethan could. Ethan frowned and sat directly opposite to Lyra instead.

Naoko gave Lyra a hug. "I'm glad you have returned in one piece. We were all very worried about you – Pryce informed me you had gone off to the Lake of Rage to stop Team Rocket. Morty insisted on coming after you, but we held him back. We knew the Lake of Rage was a task just for you."

"I wasn't alone," she said, helping herself to a plate filled with food. "Lance helped me."

"Yes, we heard. We heard that you did most of the work though," Naoko said, before Morty could get in a word. She silenced him with a warning glare. "You did something marvellous yesterday, Lyra. You stopped Team Rocket from gaining control of Johto."

Lyra placed her plate on her lap. "But what if they come back in a few years time?"

"I doubt they'll show their faces here again. They were defeated by Red in Kanto, and now they've been defeated by you here in Johto," Morty answered. "They wouldn't dare try again. Besides, if they tried, all the gym leaders would be onto them."

A comforting thought. She let her muscles relax. "Your journey is not complete though, you still have a gym badge to obtain and a league to defeat," Naoko said. She smiled again. "But I'm sure you will find success. You do have a unique talent in defying the odds."

One of the other kimono girls spoke, fixing her dark eyes on her sister. "Surely, this has to prove she is the one who will-"

"Ssh, not now Zuni. Let out heroine relax and enjoy her victory."

Zuni nodded. She lowered her head and continued to eat in silence. Lyra helped herself to more food when there was a knock on the door. Morty frowned. "I didn't invite anyone else." His face turned pale. "It better not be Whitney…" He shuddered, and Lyra couldn't help but laugh. So, Morty had an admirer.

"Maybe it's Eusine?" Lyra suggested.

Morty shook his head. "I haven't heard from him since the three legendary felines fled."

"I saw him in Cianwood. He battled me there."

Naoko's head jerked up. "Eusine battled you? Whatever for?"

Lyra shrugged. "He said he wanted to understand why I Suicine was attracted to me. He thought he could understand that by having a battle. He lost and then he left. I haven't seen him since." She continued eating, grabbing herself some potato salad. "Is there something wrong?" she asked, noticing the worried looks exchanged between Morty and Naoko.

"Nothing to be concerned about," Morty answered.

There was another knock on the door. "I'll answer it," Lyra said, standing up. She walked over to the door, wondering who it could be. Had Eusine decided to return? Was it Silver? Professor Elm? Her mother? She opened the door. Some tall person wearing a black coat with a hood stared down at her. "Um, hello? Do I know you?"

The person pulled back their hood. Red spiky hair. Dark brown eyes. That familiar smirk… "Oh my Arceus, Lance!" Without thinking, she gave him a hug. She had been giving him a lot of them recently.

"I should see you more often if you're going to greet me like this every time we meet," he replied, chuckling.

She pulled back, face burning red. "Sorry, I didn't mean to… it's just… you know, I'm happy to see you …" Lyra blurted out, face burning hotter with each passing second. She hoped she hadn't given the guy the idea she was interested in him romantically! Because she wasn't. Honestly.

"No harm done, Lyra. I appreciate the gesture." He stepped inside the building, closing the door behind him. "I came by to see you specifically. Naoko called to let me know you arrived in Ecruteak safely."

"You came to see me?"

He nodded. "You saved Johto from Team Rocket's evil. I wanted to give you my congratulations in person." He pointed at himself. "Besides, I'm appropriately dressed for it now."

She giggled. "I can see that." Her grin faded. "I didn't do it alone though. You played a part in it to, remember? Lake of Rage, Mahogany Town… You battled against Ariana and that grunt. And… if I remember correctly, you jumped into the lake to rescue me from the Red Gyarados." She remembered it as if the event had happened yesterday. "You're not a very good swimmer though," she added flatly.

"Yes, well… nobody's perfect."

She grabbed his arm and dragged him over to the food. "Have something to eat."

He freed himself from her grip, taking a step back. "I can't stay here for too long, Lyra. I have… other duties to attend to." He looked down at her, a mixture of regret and sadness in his eyes. Lyra frowned, confused. "I wish you all the best of luck for your eighth badge. This battle will be unlike any other battle you've faced. The gym leader – Clair. She doesn't care about anything else other than winning. She's responsible for ending the journeys of many trainers. You need to show her that there's more to being a trainer than pure power."

Lyra was still confused. "You speak of her like you know personally." She felt a surge of some unknown emotion wash over her.

Lance sighed. "We're… related."

He didn't sound too thrilled. Lyra felt relieved upon hearing those words. "Oh, I thought she might have been your girlfriend or something." She laughed awkwardly. "You said you were from Blackthorn, right? Then this will probably be of some use to you." She dug her hand into her bag, searching for the pink pokeball. She found it hiding underneath various empty potions and handed it over to Lance. "Archer gave it to me. He said to return it to the members of the Dragon Clan of Blackthorn."

The ball must have had significant importance because Lance was looking at it as if she had given him a master ball. "Grandfather was right all this time…" he said softly, taking the ball away from Lyra. He looked at her again. "Thank you, Lyra. I will pass it on to the members of the sacred Dragon Clan. I'm sure they'll be thrilled to have this Pokemon returned."

"Pokemon? You mean, the ball isn't empty?"

"You should be more worried about the upcoming gym battle in Blackthorn than worried about what Pokemon is inside."

"I'm not worried about that; how did you know there was something inside it?" She tilted her head to the right, looking at him curiously. Something didn't feel quite right about him. He must be someone important if he had contacts with Pryce and the kimono girls. And he had to be in a position of some importance if he was related to Clair, the final gym leader. "Is there something you're not telling me?"

Lance looked like he was having an internal debate. "All right. You got me. I know what's inside the pokeball because it was stolen from my home."

"You're a member of the Dragon Clan?" she said, eyes wide. So that's why he had a dragon. He was the only trainer she had met who had one besides herself. "I knew there was something off about you from the first moment we met. "I thought you just lived there… but you're actually part of a sacred clan? Why didn't you tell me earlier?"

He shrugged. "It didn't seem like the right time. But it doesn't matter. You need to defeat my cousin so you can take on the league." He turned his gaze to the indoors picnic. "Your friends are waiting for you. I'll be seeing you." He pulled his hood back over his hair and exited the building.

Lyra sat back down. "I can't believe he didn't tell me he belonged to a Dragon Clan. I wonder what else he isn't telling me? The next thing I know he'll be telling me he's actually the Champion of Johto and Kanto." The kimono girls and Morty looked at each other, but didn't say anything. "Well, I suppose I should head to Blackthorn. Pryce said I had to go through the Ice Path to get there."

"You're going to leave so soon?" Morty asked, glancing up.

Ethan too, frowned. "But you only just got here, Lyra."

"I want that final badge. I'll return once I obtain it." Lance had gotten her curious about Clair. Even Pryce had warned Lyra the final gym leader was going to be a very difficult fight. The quicker she obtained the badge, the faster she'd make it to the league. "Take care." She left the building and walked into the night.

.

Lance strode over to the Dragon's Den and walked through the cave entrance, the pink pokeball in his left hand. He didn't take more than a couple of steps when he was stopped by Clair. He sighed. "Clair."

"Lance."

It had well over two and a half years since he had last returned to Blackthorn. Clair had warned him not to return until he had located the Shiny Dratini after all. "How's it been?"

Her lips were pressed in a thin line. "Everything's been _just_ perfect," she said, voice laced with thick sarcasm. "While I've been standing guard protecting the city from nothing, I hear you've been having quite an adventure involving some _girl._ "

"Who told you?"

"Will."

 _Damn Will,_ Lance thought. _Note to self, never confide in Will ever again._ "I've found the Shiny Dratini." He held out the pokeball, hoping to shift the topic away from Lyra.

Clair stormed over and grabbed the pokeball. "Did you actually find the ball? Or did _she_ do it? I saw the news. That smug little brat is on every station. She thinks she's so good because she stopped Team Rocket. She hasn't done anything that special – _I_ could've stopped Team Rocket if I was allowed to."

Sometimes he could tolerate Clair's infamous catty comments. And other times… his cousin crossed the line. This was one of those moments. "Lyra deserves the attention she is receiving."

His cousin lifted an eyebrow. "Oh, so you're on a first name basis with her now? I thought you would be annoyed that _Lyra_ took the role of the Champion away from you. That's meant to be _your_ job!" She pointed a finger at him accusingly. "Well? Aren't you going to say something or are you just going to stand there looking like a kicked Houndour?"

"You should show Lyra some respect, Clair. Lyra just saved the entire region from Team Rocket's evil. Lyra defeated Archer and retrieved the Shiny Dratini that _you_ should've been watching over," Lance retorted, feeling his own temper rise. Clair had a natural ability in bringing out the worst in people. She was quite proud of it.

She gave him an indignant look. "You're blaming me?! I have done _nothing_ wrong!" She stomped over to him, eyes burning with fiery rage, fists swinging at her sides. "Maybe _you_ should've been here instead! You knew Team Rocket were up to no good, and instead of coming to Blackthorn, you decided to run around Johto trying to play hero!" she said, heatedly.

"Blackthorn is _your_ responsibility, Clair. You're the gym leader."

"And you're the Champion who was born here!"

He took in a deep breath and raised his hands conceding defeat. "Clair… you're right. I should've been here to watch over the Shiny Dratini the moment I discovered Team Rocket had returned," he said softly, eyes fixed on Clair's face. The rage was still evident in her eyes, but at least she didn't look like she wanted to bite his head off anymore. "Grandfather gave me a task to do which had me travelling around Johto."

Clair sniffed. "And what was that?"

"I had to watch over Lyra."

"Her again!" Clair threw her hands up in the air and turned her head to the right. She snorted then looked back at Lance. "So it comes back to _her_ again. I don't see why _she_ is so damn important." Her mouth tipped ruefully. "But she must be important to you since you keep saying her name. So what is it, Lance? Why is _Lyra_ so important?"

Yes, that was a good question. Why was Lyra so important? It wasn't just because his grandfather had said she was important. It wasn't just because Archer had claimed she was. It was more than that. Lyra had just been some inexperienced trainer when he first encountered her a few years ago, but she had matured into a skilled passionate trainer now. She wasn't an irritation. She was a… pleasure to be around.

He felt the corners of his mouth morph into a smile. Travelling with her during the Lake of Rage incident had been enjoyable. In fact, it had been one of the most exciting journeys he had been on since becoming Champion. His mind went back to the Lake of Rage. He remembered Lyra risking her own life to save her Pokemon. He remembered overcoming his own fear of diving into a large pool of water to save her. He remembered giving her his cape because she was warm. It dawned on him it had been the first time he had put someone else's needs before his own.

"What are you so happy about?"

"You'll never understand, Clair." She'll be the light in your darkness, the Elder had claimed. He had been right. Lyra had pulled him out of self-doubt. She had given him a reason to believe he could still be a good Champion even if he wasn't the one saving the world from evil. She was the key to his redemption. "Lyra's importance to me is something you'll never be able to comprehend," he said softly.

An incredulous expression took hold of her face. "What? Don't tell me you're falling for this _Lyra._ " Lance growled. She sneered, looking quite satisfied with herself. "You've gotten soft, dear cousin. Soft people lose."

"Maybe you'll understand her importance when she defeats you in battle."

Clair crossed her arms over her chest, giving him a scornful look. "That'll never happen. No one can beat me."

"Except for myself and the other members of the Elite Four," Lance concluded.

"I can hold my own against the Elite Four!" she cried.

Lance shook his head. "That's what you keep telling yourself, but you failed to get past Will, the first member. He defeated your team within seconds. You keep coming up with a list of reasons to excuse your mistakes. Face it, Clair. You're not unbeatable."

Clair turned her nose upwards. "Why don't you come by to the gym when _Lyra_ arrives so you can watch me crush her, what do you say, Lance? Are you able to watch me obliterate her team of weaklings?" She smirked.

"Don't underestimate her. She's stronger than you think."

She arched her brows in mock surprise. "A part of me thinks you want her to defeat me. Where do your loyalties lay, cousin? With the clan or with some unproven girl?" Many years ago Lance would've answered the same question with 'the clan' but now? He wasn't so sure. He thought back to Clair's earlier comment – 'don't tell me you're falling for _Lyra'_ – was it true?

"My loyalties will always be with the clan," he said half-heartedly.

Clair's jaw muscle jerked. She wasn't convinced. "I'll bring her to her knees and force her to weep, like I've done to so many other trainers. Wouldn't you like that? I'm going to tear that _bitch_ apart," she hissed, leering at him. "And you're going to watch every second of her crushing defeat!" Hot anger poured through him. He drew a hand back and struck her hard in the face. Clair stepped back, her jaw agape, shocked. You hit me!" She rubbed the red mark on her right cheek. "I can't believe you actually _hit_ me! Your own cousin!"

"I won't hesitate to do it again if I have to," he said in a low voice. Clair moved her hand down to her pokebelt, and threw out a pokeball. One of her Dragonair's appeared. "You dare to challenge me to battle right here in the den? Because I _will_ hold _nothing_ back. You won't have a team when I'm done with you." Clair gave him a sullen look and he looked at her as if she was something foul. "I'll watch your battle. Someone needs to be there at your side when you lose."

Clair threw her empty pokeball at the back of his head. It left a stinging mark but he didn't respond this time. Instead, he exited the Dragon's Den and leaned against the wall, running a hand through his messy hair, taking in deep shuddering breaths. Never had he lost control like that before. He swore then summoned Dragonite. What he needed right now was a relaxing flight. Visiting his cousin was supposed to be a friendly one, but he had only made matters worse. Team Rocket seemed so insignificant when compared to Clair.

.

As always, reviews are greatly appreciated!


	24. A Dance of Dragons

And so I remembered to update this yay. Thanks to Tgonthefiery and mirrorkinomoto for reviewing the previous chapter.

 **.**

 **Chapter Twenty Three: A Dance of Dragons**

Reaching Blackthorn had been a tiring and cold journey. Her legs were sore, her arms tired, her body drained… All she wanted to do right now was drop on the floor and sleep. But that would be a bad idea because she was still on the Ice Path. It was like being stuck in a freezer again, but fortunately, she could see the end in sight. And besides, when she closed her eyes all she saw was Archer standing on the ledge readying himself to take that final jump. She shook her head, pushing thoughts about Archer aside. Right now she had to concentrate on getting her final badge.

The journey through the Ice Path had been rough. It involved pushing boulders, awkwardly running across ice and getting lost often. There were no directions here at all, and Lyra wondered if that had been specifically done so she could not get through. Fortunately, she obtained some form of reward for surviving. She had received the move Waterfall from a lonely man, and she had rescued another kimono girl who had gotten herself stuck. Eventually, she made it to the light. "Thank Arceus," she muttered, stumbling out of the cave.

She was pleased to be back in the sun again. Her Pokemon also seemed rather relieved. They ran around in circles, basking in the warm rays of the sunlight. Up ahead, she could see the gateway leading to Blackthorn City, the home of dragons. The city's buildings were carefully structured to survive whatever the mountain could throw at it. The houses here were far sturdier looking than the houses in the other cities. The archway itself had images of dragon-type Pokemon engraved in the stone. She spotted a Garchomp and a Salamence standing on either side of Dragonite.

"Welcome to Blackthorn City, the home of dragons," said an old man, bowing his head respectfully. "I see you have two dragons of your own… you will find they will draw strength from this place." He pointed to the gym, a large fanciful mansion. The roof was a nice shade of auburn, and its walls painted white. Statues of various dragon-type Pokemon were placed around it. "Your final gym challenge awaits you."

"Where is the Pokemon Centre?"

"You will find the Pokemon Centre to the right of here. The building is not hard to miss." The old man stepped aside, and Lyra walked past him, gazing around in awe. It was like stepping into a place built for royalty. Everything was grand and majestic here. Fortunately, the Pokemon Centre looked the same as it did anywhere else in Johto. That was her first stop. Her Pokemon were pretty tired by this point and so was she.

Once she stepped inside, she spotted Lance. He was trading words with a couple of trainers. She felt her heartbeat quicken; she had never thought to see him again so soon. She continued looking in his direction, deciding it would be rude to just approach him while he was busy. Lance caught her eye and grinned. "You made it," he said, walking over towards her. "How are you feeling?"

"Cold."

"I meant, how are you feeling after the episode with Archer?" He studied her features carefully.

"Shocked… I try not to think about it though. Every time I close my eyes, I see him there, standing on the edge of the ledge." She drew in a deep breath. "I'm tired, but I'm scared to close my eyes because he'll be there to haunt me. I feel like… it was my fault," she admitted softly.

"Don't blame yourself, Lyra. Archer was a cruel man with an ambitious twisted mind. He got what he deserved."

"But he can't have always been a bad guy, right?"

Lance shrugged. "Some people are just born bad, Lyra. There was nothing you could do to save a guy like him." He grabbed her arm and led her to the corner where there were a couple of comfortable leather couches. She sat down and he sat down beside her. "If there's anything I can do to help you, let me know all right? You've got a tough battle coming up next so you need to be in peak health." He looked her up and down. "And you should change – you're going to catch a cold. We don't have a shop as big as the one in Goldenrod but you'll be able to find something. Are you able to walk?"

She nodded. Right now she didn't feel mentally prepared to take on Clair. Perhaps after some much needed rest and a good meal she'd feel better. "All right." She picked herself up and followed Lance out of the Pokemon Centre, aware that many trainers were watching them. In the corner of her eye she spotted two girls who looked to be twins, trading whispers and death glaring Lyra. _Not exactly a warm reception,_ Lyra thought. She remained closer to Lance.

"You'll be able to get a change of clothes from the hut over there," Lance said, pointing towards a cottage with a straw roof. In comparison to the other majestic buildings in the area, the hut looked very out of place. "It may not look like much, but there are some very powerful dragon-enhancing items there." He strode over to the hut and Lyra followed behind. It looked rather tiny on the outside but it was actually quite roomy. Four people stood inside. The old lady acknowledged Lance with a respectful nod then spoke.

"Greetings, Master Lance. What can I do for you today?"

"My friend here needs a change of clothes. Do you have anything that will fit her?"

The old lady examined Lyra. Lyra fidgeted, uncomfortable. "All I have is a dragon tamer's outfit."

Lance nodded. "That will do then."

"A dragon tamer's outfit?" Lyra repeated, looking at Lance. "What does that mean?"

"You'll see. I'll wait outside." And so he did while one of the other people in the room (a young female) brought out a dragon tamer's outfit. It was a dress (much to Lyra's dismay), but at least it wasn't one of those frilly puffy ones. This one was a skin tight black dress that came with matching black high-heeled boots. It also came with a cape. It didn't exactly look comfortable, but she didn't have a choice. Her current dress was dirty, wet and torn in several places. She sighed, grabbed the clothes then changed.

Once she was done she stepped back into the room where Lance was standing, but this time, there was someone else there with him. A tall female with long sapphire hair, tied back in a ponytail. She too wore a black cape and held a gaze that could stop a raging Gyarados in their tracks. She exuded power. The woman looked at Lyra with obvious distaste. "You're Lyra. I've heard so much about you, but I have to say, I'm not at all impressed."

Ouch. That comment stung. Lyra felt herself shrink. "Lyra," Lance started, "this is Clair, my cousin," he added, a hint of annoyance in his tone.

Clair walked over to Lyra and towered over her. "Your journey ends here today." She turned around and looked at Lance. "Honestly, cousin, I thought you had a better taste." She stomped out of the hut and Lyra couldn't help but feel like she had just been struck in the face.

"Don't mind Clair, she's like that with everyone," Lance said.

Lyra wasn't looking forward to the final gym battle now. Clair seemed so mean. Clair returned a few seconds later, poking her head through the entrance. "I'm actually glad I invited you to come and watch my battle, cousin. You can hold Lyra's hand when she loses," she jeered, before exiting again, kicking up clouds of dust into the hut.

Lyra waved her hands before her face clearing the air from dust. "That's your cousin?" How on earth could such a nice guy like Lance be related to that?

"She was actually quite nice to you," Lance responded, giving Lyra a lopsided grin. "You should see how she greets other challengers." If that was Clair's nice side she hated to see what her nasty side was like. "Anyway, you should head back to the Pokemon Centre and rest up. I'll see you in a couple of hours for the battle at the Blackthorn City Gym."

The thought of having Lance watch her battle from the sidelines made her stomach twist and turn. "Are you sure it's a good idea to watch my battle with her?"

He frowned. "Why would it be a bad one? I've seen you battle Lyra, we've fought alongside each other remember? I'm curious to see how you'll fare against my cousin. I know you can teach her a few things about battling."

Lyra brought a hand to her head, twisting a lock of hair around a finger. "Gosh, talk about pressure." Nerves had gripped her mind and her stomach, making her feel a little uneasy. She was pleased to see him again so soon, but he was going to watch the battle? What if she made so many mistakes? He'd probably lose respect for her as a trainer. She frowned. Wait. Why would that matter? It wasn't like she was in the love with the guy or anything. He was just a friend. Like Morty was. _Yes, that's it,_ she told herself. Just _friends._

"Are you all right, Lyra?"

She nodded. "Yes, perfectly fine."

He raised his brows, but didn't say anything more. "Well, I'll see you at the gym." He walked towards the exit, as Lyra headed back to the Pokemon Centre after thanking the old lady and her assistants. Arriving back in the Pokemon Centre, Lyra approached the nurse at the counter. Lyra said hello but the lady didn't even seem to realize she was there at all. It was as if she was daydreaming.

"Isn't he _sooo_ perfect?" she said dreamily, eyes focused on the door. "So gorgeous…" She sighed again.

Lyra cleared her throat, standing directly in front of the lady. "Um, hello? I'd like to rest my Pokemon. I have a battle with Clair soon."

The nurse jumped, pulling herself out of her trance. She looked at Lyra, studying her facial features closely. "Aren't you the trainer who defeated Team Rocket? Lyra, right?" She tilted her head sideways, examining Lyra from a different angle. She screwed up her nose in disgust. "Yeah, that's you. I saw you with him before on the couch over there, and I'll say it now, but you have no chance with him," she almost snapped.

"Uh… I'm not here to woo anyone. I just want my Pokemon healed."

The girl ignored Lyra. "He's the best trainer in Johto and in Kanto so he's virtually untouchable. You might have defeated Team Rocket, but that's not going to make him interested in you, so you should probably stop trying. So many females come here just to get his attention, but he never looks their way twice," the nurse prattled on.

"I'm a trainer. I just want to heal my Pokemon." She was becoming irritated now.

She waved a hand in the air dismissively. "That's what all the girls say when they come to Blackthorn. They all claim they are trainers because they think that somehow, Lance will fall head over heels for them." She squinted, peering at Lyra's face. "You're not bad-looking… but you're nowhere near pretty enough for him."

Lyra rolled her eyes. "I'm not here looking for a relationship. I just want to battle Clair."

The nurse blinked. "Well, why didn't you say so?"

"I just… nevermind." Lyra handed her pokeballs over to the nurse, shaking her head. Did Lance often experience this strong of a reaction from the girls? Or was this nurse just a special case? A few moments later, Lyra received her pokeballs back. Before the nurse could say anything, Lyra hurried out eager to get away from the lovestruck assistant. "It's gym time," she said to herself. All thoughts of Archer's suicide were pushed aside, as she briskly walked towards the magnificent Blackthorn Castle Gym.

.

Lance leaned against the wall, arms crossed over his chest as Clair paced back and forth. She was gnawing on her fingernails, looking more agitated than usual. "Settle down Clair, Lyra hasn't even entered the gym yet and you're a nervous wreck."

She stopped pacing, turning a steely gaze on him. "I'm _not_ nervous. I'm eager to crush her. I wish she would just hurry up. Did she fall over her cape or something?" She turned her head around, looking towards the entrance. There were sweat beads on her face, but they weren't from nerves, but rather from the lava bubbling around them. Their ancestors had designed the gym to be mentally and physically challenging. Could Lyra withstand the heat?

"You're going to lose today."

Clair snorted. "Thanks for your support." She turned to the entrance. "Hmph. The brat has finally shown herself."

Lance straightened, looking in Clair's direction. Lyra was at the entrance talking to the gym advisor. The gym advisor pointed to the moving platforms located in the gym then pointed to the lava pit. Even from this distance, Lance could tell Lyra was nervous. "Come on, Lyra…" he said quietly.

"At least she's brave enough to step onto the platform. The last couple of trainers couldn't even do that. Ooo, she's about to face off against Paulo. I do hope Paulo goes easy on her… I want to fight Lyra."

Paulo and Lyra prepared to battle. Lyra summoned her Feraligatr to face off against Paulo's first Dratini. Lance was a little surprised she hadn't chosen to go with her own dragon-type, but perhaps she was saving them for Clair. It didn't take long for Lyra to defeat Paulo though, thanks to Feraligatr's Avalanche attack. "Not a bad move," he said. "Lyra will get here pretty soon if she keeps this up."

"Paulo's a weak trainer, anyway. All the gym leaders in this gym are. I only selected them because I have to as part of the league rules," Clair said, arms crossed. "And good. I hope she does get here quickly. I'm growing impatient." She tapped her left boot on the floor. Lyra defeated the other Dratini but showed signs of struggle against the Seadra. Seadra wasn't a Dragon-type, so Dragon-based moves weren't going to inflict a great deal of damage.

However, Lyra managed to pull victory and she moved on to face the next trainer, Lola. "This battle should go quickly," Lance commented. "I'm surprised you even selected Lola – I thought she was on the lower ranked tamers?"

"I needed one more trainer."

As Lance had predicated, Lola quickly fell. The tamers in this gym weren't exactly the greatest tamers Blackthorn had to offer, but they were the only ones who had chosen to stay. Other tamers left to travel to other regions to attempt to walk the path of a Dragon Master (and to get away from Clair). Most of them failed. "Lyra's reached the second platform now. Three more trainers and she'll reach us. Feeling nervous yet?"

"You must be mistaking my nerves for excitement."

"Cody, Fran and Mike won't know what hit them."

"They're weak."

"Really Clair, you should've chosen some stronger trainers."

She shrugged. "These are the only ones who could put up with me," she said flatly.

Lance chuckled. He pitied any trainer studying under Clair. The battles against the final three tamers went by rather quickly. Lance felt almost embarrassed for them. Standards had certainly slipped since the days he was a gym leader here. Eventually, Lyra reached them. Now the true battle would begin.

.

Getting past the five dragon tamers had been a lot simpler than she thought it would be. It was like they hardly even trying. What was the deal behind that anyway? On the plus side, at least she didn't have to return to the Pokemon Centre to deal with the freaky nurse lady. She walked up to Clair, ignoring Lance.

"I've been looking forward to this moment ever since I saw your face on the television screen. You may have defeated Team Rocket, but they were weak. Their Pokemon wouldn't even land a single attack against mine." She smirked, flipping her long blue ponytail over her shoulder. "I'm Clair, the world's best dragon-type Master. I can hold my own against even the Pokemon League's Elite Four. Do you still want to take me on?"

"Of course," Lyra replied.

"Let's do this then! As a gym leader, I will use my full power against any opponent!" Clair was unlike any of the other gym leaders she had battled against. The other gym leaders were also confident, but not arrogant. Clair on the other hand reeked of arrogance. Lyra really disliked Clair. It was as if she purposely wanted people to hate her.

Clair summoned her first Pokemon, a Gyarados. Lyra didn't have any Pokemon to counter it, so she sent out her Espeon, hoping to rely on the feline's super high special attack. "Gyarados, use Dragon Rage!"

A large chunk of health was taken from Espeon. Clair wasn't holding back anything that's for sure. She seemed determined to prove something, as she continuously kept glancing in Lance's direction. "Okay Espeon, hit that Gyarados with Psychic!" A glowing red beam left Espeon's gem, hitting the Gyarados in the chest.

"Use Dragon Rage again, Gyarados!"

Espeon was close to fainting now. No wonder the girls at Whitney's gym had called Dragon Rage a cheap attack. It took a fair chunk of health from the opponent no matter what the type was. "Hang in there, Espeon! Don't let Clair intimidate you! Use Future Sight!" Espeon closed her eyes. Gyarados twitched, as if it had been attacked by an invisible force, yet sustained no damage. At least not yet anyway.

"Use Bite, Gyarados." _Dammit,_ thought Lyra. Espeon fainted, crushed by the creature's gaping jaws. She brought out her Gabite. "You seek to insult me by using a dragon-type against me?" Clair sneered.

"Don't listen to her Gabite, use Dragon Rage!" Gyarados roared, as it was struck by the beam. Clair seemed surprised, by that quickly faded, replaced by amusement.

"Not too bad… but you're still weak. Use Dragon Pulse, Gyarados!"

"Not so fast, Clair. Look."

Gyarados didn't attack. Instead, it was frozen in place, its eyes a misty grey. Clair frowned. "Gyarados! What are you doing?" A pink glow emanated from the Gyarados, preventing it from moving. The light suddenly faded and Gyarados fell to the ground, eyes crossed. "What?!" Clair shrieked.

Lance offered an explanation. "She used Future Sight on you."

Clair regathered her composure, flicking a strand of hair away from her face. "Lucky break, so you defeated my Gyarados. I've still got three Pokemon left. Dragonair!" A blue serpent-type creature with a white underbelly appeared.

Lyra didn't feel threatened yet. Dragonair had been pretty easy to take down if she used a Dragon-type or ice-type moved. "Gabite, use Dragon Claw!" Gabite rushed forward, slashing at the Dragonair with its claws. Dragonair fainted. This was becoming too easy, thought Lyra. Clair summoned another Dragonair and like the previous one, it fainted rather quickly.

"Are you ready, Lyra? The other three Pokemon were just a warm up for the real battle." Her smirk widened. Lyra glanced in Lance's direction, judging his expression. He didn't look so relaxed now. She took that as a warning sign. "Your battle ends here! No one gets past me! Kingdra!" She threw out her final pokeball. A large, seahorse-like Pokemon with a tightly curled tail and long powerful snout appeared. It was mostly blue, except for its belly which was yellow.

 _Kingdra. The evolved form of Seadra. It is said that it usually hides in underwater caves. It can create whirlpools by yawning._

Lyra felt nervous just looking at the Pokemon. It looked mean… and very strong. "Gabite, use Dragon Claw!"

"Kingdra, use Dragon Pulse!" Kingdra moved first, sending forth a purple and yellow ray at the Gabite. Gabite fainted immediately. Clair laughed. "You thought you had me, didn't you? Did you really think your final gym badge was going to be that easy? I will crush you. I will ruin your dreams and shatter your goals. You will never make it to the league because you don't deserve to!" she rasped.

Lyra summoned her next Pokemon, Staraptor. Staraptor wasn't even able to get one move in when she was struck by Dragon Pulse. Her avian fainted. Now she only had three Pokemon left. Growlithe, Feraligatr and Shelgon. Her confidence was beginning to drop. "Shelgon!"

"Dragon Pulse!"

Another Pokemon down. Lyra summoned Growlithe.

"Hydro Pump!" Two powerful jets of water exited the Kingdra's mouth, sending the canine flying across the room. Growlithe landed on the ground, unable to move. Growlithe too had fainted. She was now down to her last Pokemon, Feraligatr. Lyra was beginning to see why Lance and Pryce had warned her about Clair. Could anyone get past her? Her Kingdra seemed invincible. "I'm glad you made it to me, truly. It'll be my honour crushing you to a pulp. I hope you're taking notes, Lance. This is how a _true_ Dragon Master battles. Kingdra, use Dragon Pulse!"

Fortunately, Toto was bulky enough to withstand the attack… Barely. One more attack like that and the battle would be over. If she lost, she'd have to retake the challenge again, but she'd find herself in this position still. Kingdra had one weakness – dragon-type moves. Unfortunately, her dragons weren't fast enough to out speed it. A sense of helplessness gripped her mind. Was this it? Was this how her journey would end?

She gave her Feraligatr a hyper potion, recovering all his health. But it would mean nothing if she was unable to ever land an attack on the Kingdra. Kingdra blasted Toto with Dragon Pulse again, bringing Toto to the point of fainting again. "It can't end like this… I've come too far…" Lyra said, voice thick with desperation. "There has to be something I can do…"

Scenes of her former gym battles came to her now, playing in her head like a short movie. Every gym leader had multiple weaknesses she could exploit, but not Kingdra. She only had one. Lyra healed her Toto again, and once again Toto find himself on the brink of fainting. How many times could she heal him before she ran out of potions? _Hold on,_ she thought. _That's it._ Trainers ran out of potions and all Pokemon had a limit on the number of attacks they could use. All she had to do here was outsmart the Kingdra. Clair relied on pure power alone to defeat her opponents. She had no sense of smart strategy at all. Lyra smiled. "This battle isn't over yet. I've found a way to defeat you."

"I've heard that one before, and I sent her packing. Kingdra, use Dragon Pulse!" Fortunately, Lyra had remembered to purchase a lot of Hyper Potions. She was actually prepared for a battle for once. She healed Toto again.

"We can do this, Toto! Just hang in a bit longer!"

Clair narrowed her eyes. "What are you playing at? You can't beat me. You haven't even attacked Kingdra yet… so how do you expect to win if you never attack?" She gave a mocking laugh. "Kingdra, Dragon Pulse!" Kingra looked tired now from using Dragon Pulse. Surely, it was running low on steam now.

Lyra healed Toto again for what felt like the fifth time. "Get ready, Toto…"

"Dragon Pulse!" Lyra gave Toto yet another powerful dose of healing potion. Clair growled. "Is this what you call strategy? Heal over and over again? Trainers who have to rely on potions every turn shouldn't be allowed on the battlefield." Lyra glanced at the Kingdra. She was panting. "Dragon Pulse!"

That surely had to be the last Dragon Pulse; the Kingdra didn't look like it had the strength to use another. Lyra healed her Toto again for what she hoped was the last time. "That's it, Toto…"

"Dragon Pulse!" This time, Kingdra didn't attack. She turned her trainer, waiting for another command. Her jaw tightened. "So, you hoped to wear me out? A smart plan, but you haven't won yet. Kingdra, use Hyper Beam!" A bright beam of yellow sped towards Feraligatr, crashing into his chest. Toto was flung a couple of feet away, but the reptile managed to stand, much to Clair's displeasure. "You're really beginning to annoy me…"

"Toto, use Crunch!" Hyper Beam might be a powerful attack, but it left the user immobile for one turn. Lyra had the chance to inflict some damage now. In the corner of her eye, she caught Lance grinning. "You're tough, Clair. You're the strongest trainer I've battled against. But power isn't everything." Kingdra still couldn't attack, so it was Lyra's turn again. "Use Crunch again, Toto!" Toto brought his teeth down around the Kingdra's neck.

"Use Hyper Beam again!"

Lyra had to give credit to the Kingdra. She was extremely hard to take down. Still, Lyra had to keep trying. Eventually, she'd get there. Toto was hit once again, by another powerful beam. Lyra healed Toto up to full health. Three hyper potions remained. "Use Crunch, Toto!" Again, Feraligatr bit down on the Kingdra. "Keep using Crunch!" Crunch was the only attack Toto had that could do some form of damage. Clair used another Hyper Beam, and Lyra healed Toto again. The cycle repeated until finally, the Kingdra fainted.

"No way! I don't believe it!" Clair cried. "This… must be some… mistake!"

"Clair, you lost the match," Lance said.

Lyra had almost forgotten he had been there. Clair was trembling with rage. "I won't concede the Rising Badge. I might have lost, but you're still not ready for the Pokemon League."

"This is ridiculous, Clair. The league rules state a gym leader must give the victor the badge."

She glared at him. "I don't care! She's not worthy of it!" She spun around on her heel and looked at Lyra. "You should take the dragon master challenge. Behind this gym is a place called Dragon's Den. There is a small shrine at its heart. Go there. If you can prove that you've lost your lazy ideals, I will admit you are at trainer worthy of a gym badge." Clair stormed out of the gym, yelling at all the other gym trainers.

Lance looked at Lyra apologetically. "Sorry, Lyra. Clair can be a little… difficult so to speak."

Lyra pouted. "I can't believe this."

"Come on, I'll show you to the Dragon's Den."

.

"She doesn't deserve the Rising Badge, grandfather!" Clair said, rounding on the old man. "Just because she defeated me, doesn't mean she's earned it! I'm not soft like the other leaders in Johto," she screamed, just as Lyra and Lance entered through the door. Hearing Lyra's footsteps, Clair spun around and glared. "You'll never get this badge!" She stormed out of the shrine, fists hanging at her side.

"I am sorry, but I must test you. Please sit," the old man said, motioning for Lyra to sit on the floor across from him. Lance waited at the front, leaning against the door.

Lyra fidgeted. A test? Not another battle, she hoped. "You're not going to battle me, are you?"

The Elder shook his head, chuckling lightly. "No, not at all. I'm going to ask you a few questions. These questions will let me know if you truly understand the bond you have with your Pokemon. It'll also help me understand what type of a person you are." He cleared his throat. "What are Pokemon to you?"

"Pokemon are friends," Lyra said.

"…a caring heart…" he said, smiling. "What helps you to win battles?"

"Strategy, of course. It's not just about relying on super-effective moves to defeat your opponent."

"…a wise mind…" He paused briefly then continued. "What kind of trainer do you wish to battle?"

"All trainers. The level of experience should not matter. You can always learn something from every battle."

The old man nodded. "You are not judgemental, that is good. What is most important for raising Pokemon?"

If any of her battles had taught her anything, it was that love and knowledge really did conquer all. "Love and knowledge."

The old man made a humming noise. Lyra hoped that was a sound of satisfaction. "Yes, you understand the bond well… Strong Pokemon. Weak Pokemon. Which is most important?"

"It doesn't matter, all Pokemon have weaknesses that can be exploited."

He smiled again. "Your bond with your Pokemon is strong. I felt it the moment you entered this room, Lyra. Please, accept this Pokémon as a gift from me, the Blackthorn Clan Elder." He stood up and walked over to black box. He opened it, reached down inside pulling out a familiar pink pokeball.

Lyra stood up as the Elder handed it to her. Lyra recognized it as the one she had retrieved from Archer. It brought back painful memories. Once again, she briefly saw Archer stepping up onto the ledge to make that final jump. "That Pokemon is the symbol of our clan, the Shiny Dratini. Please, take good care of her." He bowed respectfully.

"I… I can't accept this… your gift is too much." She held out her hand towards the Elder, hoping he would take it back, but he shook his head.

"The Shiny Dratini is yours to keep, Lyra," Lance said, walking over to join her. He grabbed her hand, and folded her fingers back, so that the ball was firmly in her palm. "You've been entrusted with the symbol of our clan."

She looked up at him. He looked down at her. "I'll…" Her mind drew a blank. For the first time, she was actually speechless! She could feel her face reddening. Did he have to look at her like that? It was the same way Morty did. "I… uh… I'll take good care of her," she babbled. _Get a grip, Lyra_ , she scolded herself. Lance is _just_ a friend. So why did she feel like her stomach was suddenly full of live Butterfree?

"I have no doubt you will take good care of her."

She nodded. She opened her mouth to say something intelligent, when Clair burst through the door again. The gym leader looked at her cousin then at Lyra then back at Lance again. "I'm sure your fan club would just _love_ to get a picture of this."

Lance lessened his hold on Lyra, and glanced sharply in Clair's direction. "Don't say a word."

Clair ignored him, turning to face her grandfather. "So, how did it go? I guess there's no point in asking. She did fail?"

"Lyra passed the test, Clair," the Elder answered calmly.

Clair's jaw dropped. She turned to face Lyra, trembling with rage. "What? You passed? That can't be! You're lying! Even I haven't been approved!" She looked to her cousin for an explanation. "This is a joke, right?"

"Lyra passed the test."

"Am I the only one who sees her for what she really is?! She's poison! And she's ruining everything for us! She's not like us; she's not a dragon master and she never will be!" Clair was furious now. Lyra took a few steps back, unsure. Clair looked ready to tear her head off with just her hands. "Look at what she's done to you!" Clair screamed, directing her gaze at Lance.

A deathly silence hung in the air. Lyra took a few more steps back until she hit the wall. She'd rather be facing the Red Gyarados again than be in the same room as Clair. "The only thing Lyra has done is prove to me she deserves the Rising Badge," Lance replied.

"Don't be a fool, cousin. It's not your speciality." She lifted an arm, pointing an accusing finger at Lance. "She's done more than that, she's poisoned you! You care more about her than you do about me! Morty called me after the battle and he told me everything! He said you came to visit Lyra after the ordeal with Archer! I said that was ridiculous, my cousin, infatuated with some worthless brat? Absurd! But then it started making sense to me during the battle. All the pieces came together."

"You're being irrational," Lance replied, calmly. But Lyra could see the signs of irritation showing on his face. Was what Clair was saying true?

She cackled. "Am I? I think I know you better than you know yourself. You said it to me earlier – Lyra's important to you in ways I could never comprehend. I can't believe I didn't see it earlier, but I now understand why you said that… but you probably don't realize it yet." She clenched her jaw. "But I'm not going to let her make a fool out of me. One day she's just going to get up and leave. You'll give her your heart and she'll throw it back in your face! It's what people like her do. You'll see that I'm right. I'm trying to protect you!" she spluttered.

"I don't _need_ your protection."

"What, because you're the Champion?" She threw her head back and laughed. "You're a lousy one! You didn't even _earn_ it! Red _gave_ you the title!"

Wait, what? Lyra turned to face Lance. "You're the Champion?" He was the person people were often talking about? The greatest trainer in Johto and Kanto? The person who had tried stealing her Gible all those long years ago was the Champion? The person who jumped into the lake to rescue her despite not being a strong swimmer was the Champion? The person who had over to personally congratulate her was the Champion? That person was Lance? "All this time I thought you were just another trainer… have you been spying on me?"

It was like a Hyper Beam in the face. He didn't care about her after all – he was just being nice and doing what a Champion should be doing – looking out for the residents of the region. This was getting ugly rather quick. What had meant to be a simple process of obtaining the final badge and turned into a battle of words.

"I haven't been spying on you, Lyra," Lance said, almost sounding like he was pleading with her.

She thought hard, reflecting on past events. "You were near Azalea Town when I was on my way there. We met in the forest and you tried to steal my Gible. Why were you there? To stop Team Rocket down at the well?" He wanted to take the glory for himself… but she had gotten there first.

He sighed, running a hand through his hair. "Yes."

"But you didn't. I did. And at the Lake of Rage… were you sent to watch over me?" She felt betrayed. This entire time he had acted like a supporting friend, fooling her into thinking he wasn't anyone special, but he was actually the Champion himself. The long trek to the Lake of Rage… had that just been an act to study her technique better so she'd be easier to defeat when the time came? Was that why he watched her battle against Clair? "You made me think that you were a friend."

"Lyra…"

"Oh, this should be good," Clair said.

"Allow me to explain," the Elder said, stepping forward before things could get even worse. "Please, follow me. I will explain everything to you so you understand." Lance and Clair both attempted to follow, but the Elder gave them a stern warning glare. "What I have to say to Lyra is for her ears only. Both of you – wait outside." He slowly limped towards another room and sat down on a comfortable cushion. Lyra sat down on the opposite one, closing the door, feeling a wave of depression come over her.

.

"I told you she was poison," Clair said, through clenched teeth. "She was never going to stick around when she discovered the truth about you."

Lance couldn't quite describe the emotions he was experiencing right now. The ugly emotions of anger and hate were there, but he also felt a strange sense of loss and regret. "You just had to open your mouth, didn't you? Everything was going smoothly until you decided to have another one of your infamous fits," he said, heatedly, refusing to look at her in the eyes.

"You should be thankful. I just _saved_ you from doing something stupid. There's no future with someone like her and you know it!"

Someone like her. Someone like Red. She was a hero of the region now, the trainer responsible of for single-handedly shutting down a criminal organization once and for all. She was just as famous as himself – and her fame would become even greater when she became Champion. Would she be able to handle it? Or would she run away like Red had all those years ago?

But what if Clair was right? What if Lyra did decide to abandon the post of Champion in favour of living a quiet life elsewhere? Red leaving had been a shock, but he hadn't known the guy that well anyway. But what if Lyra did decide to leave? Somehow a life without her in it seemed empty. Hollow. "She won't leave. She's not like Red."

"Lyra's made you weak," she spat. "The Lance I know didn't take crap from anyone, nor did he care about anyone else outside the clan. You were once willing to do whatever it took to prove to everyone that you're a real Champion and now?" She stabbed a finger in his face. "You're willing to let some female trainer walk all over you and take glory for herself? And why? Because you're in love with her?"

Lance didn't say anything. How could he answer a question he didn't know the answer to?

Clair rolled her eyes. "You're not just keeping an eye on her because you have to; you're doing it because you want to. There's a difference there. I'm not going to lose you to some outsider. I'm trying to protect you like you've always protected me. We're family – no one else matters, not even Lyra."

"She matters to me." She made him happy, yes, but that wasn't an indicator of romantic interest was it? "What are you afraid of, Clair?"

"When grandfather leaves this world, you'll be the only family I have left. I've looked up to you for _years_ and I won't lose you. Lyra will never dethrone you because she won't make it to the league. I will never give up the badge – you can't make me."

He looked at her now with disgust. "You're right. I can't make you give up the badge. But I can force you." Being a Champion had its benefits. He was responsible for choosing gym leaders to represent the region… he also had the power to remove them if he had a reason to.

She hissed. "You wouldn't _dare."_

"By the powers invested in me as Champion, I hereby revoke your title as the gym leader of Blackthorn. You will surrender the badge or there will be consequences."

She flung herself at him, releasing a string of curses. "You _traitor!_ I did everything for you! You've always been the one I wanted to impress!" He evaded her easily, and managed to grab hold of her arms. She thrashed wildly and kicked him. He grunted, recovered, and grabbed her arm roughly. "You'll see that I'm right! She will leave you!" Clair cried, hitting at his arms, trying to free herself. This time she bit him. He swore, forcibly shoved her back causing her to topple over onto the ground. She lay there panting, death glaring him. He was probably doing the same.

"I want you to leave," he stated coldly, glaring down at his cousin, trembling with rage.

She stood up, dusting herself off. "You can't tell me to leave. This is my home too!"

"I want you out of my sight… permanently. I _never_ want to see you again."

And just like that, the fire in her eyes dimmed. "Wh-what? You can't be serious. Where will I go?" She looked vulnerable now. Scared. Lost. Innocent even. But he wasn't going to be fooled. Not this time. "Lance!"

He continued looking at her, his gaze unmoving. "I'll forget I ever had a cousin. You're dead to me. Get out of my sight!"

Her bottom lip trembled, as she took several steps back. "I hope Lyra does leave because you don't deserve to be happy!" She took in a shaky breath, composing herself, as tears fell down her cheeks. "And to think I actually idolized you for so long… but I hate you. Do you hear me? I _hate_ you!" She sent him a malicious look and stormed out of the cave, cursing his name, tears flowing down her cheeks like waterfall.

Lance watched her retreat, his head pounding. Clair had left him. Lyra was most likely going to leave him too now. Any trust she had in him was probably gone. How was he going to regain what was lost? Was it even possible? Everything he had worked for was now falling apart around him and it was his entire fault.

.

"I always knew you would to me here, Lyra," the Elder said, gazing calmly into Lyra's eyes. "I can see into the future. I know what will come to be. I saw the resurrection of Team Rocket and I saw you defeating them."

 _That was kinda creepy,_ Lyra thought. There were times she wished she could see into the future, but now it seemed more like a curse than a blessing. What would be the fun in living if you knew exactly what tomorrow would bring? "And you knew I would pass the test. You didn't seem surprised."

He nodded. "You are very special, Lyra. You may not see it yet, but I have." He sighed, rubbing his temples. "I apologize for my granddaughter's behaviour. She is not used to losing; it is very hard for her to accept. But she will come around and realize her mistake. The girl does have a golden heart deep down."

Lyra found that hard to believe, but the Elder knew Clair better than anyone else. They were related after all. "What about Lance?"

"I am to blame."

She frowned. "But you didn't do anything?"

"I am responsible for sending Lance after you." Lyra didn't say a word. She was too lost for words now. The Elder continued. "I told him to keep his identity a secret from you until the time was right otherwise you would be less willing to work with him if you knew who he was."

She scratched her head. "I… don't understand. Why does it always have to be about me?" Archer had made the same claim. He believed Lyra was the key to finding Red so Team Rocket could have their revenge. But what made her so special?

The Elder nodded. "Have you ever wondered why people asked you to help them complete tasks?"

She thought back on her past adventures. Professor Elm had asked her to find Mr. Pokemon. Kurt asked her to help him defeat Team Rocket at the well. She had been asked to locate the Farfetch'd in Ilex Forest. Ethan had asked her to track down the three stolen day care Pokemon. Jasmine had asked her to retrieve the secret potion to cure Ampharos. Pryce had sent her to the Lake of Rage. "I thought I just happened to be in the right places at the right time."

He shook his head. "The moment you set foot into the world of Pokemon, you set off a chain of events that would change the lives around you. Trainers of your calibre are extremely rare; when I saw you in my vision, I knew you had to be protected."

"That's why you sent Lance after me… A Champion's duty is to protect the lands from evil." She stroked her chin, thinking hard. "You knew he wouldn't be the one to defeat Team Rocket, so you sent him after me, to… what? Protect me?"

"To save himself by protecting you."

"I'm sorry, but I don't understand?"

He smiled warmly. "This will become clearer to you in the future, but now you must go forth and claim the title you have earned." He closed his eyes and sighed then reopened them again. "I have seen far enough into the future to know you will become Champion… what comes after that though… is up to you to decide. I will not be here when you return," he added softly, closing his eyes briefly.

Lyra's eyes widened upon hearing the last part of his sentence. _He's dying,_ she thought. The Elder had seen the end of his journey. "Does Lance know? Clair?"

He shook his head. "No, only you."

"Aren't you going to tell them?"

He shook his head again. "No."

"But why not? You are their grandfather!"

"I am not going to let my death be the reason they reconcile. They need to find it themselves. Please Lyra, I ask that you take care of my grandchildren, especially Lance. He needs you more than both of you realize right now. He will tell you things that will make you angry, but I know you will be able to find it within your heart to forgive him. Farewell Lyra, it has been a pleasure meeting you." He closed his eyes, and lowered his gaze. Lyra knew this conversation was over. There were still so many questions that needed answering. But she would not get them from him.

She exited the shrine.


	25. Broken Wings

Thanks to mirrorkinomoto for reviewing the previous chapter

 **.**

 **Chapter Twenty Four: Broken Wings**

He walked towards the den's entrance then stepped outside, spotting the Rising Badge on the floor. It was red and black, and shaped in the head of a dragon. There was also a vial of purple sitting beside it. He picked it up, placed it in his pocket and waited outside the entrance. Lyra had spent a fair bit of time with his grandfather – he wondered what words they had exchanged and what his grandfather had said about him. A few moments later Lyra stepped outside, looking as though she was struggling to hold back tears.

He tried to think of something to say, but nothing came to mind. So he stood there in silence, waiting for Lyra to speak. Her eyes moved to his face, but they didn't quite meet his eyes. It was like she was staring at a space beside him, as if she wanted to be someplace else but here. "Clair won't be troubling you anymore. She's given you the final badge and the move, Dragon Pulse." He held it out.

It took her a few moments for her to accept it. "I thought she said she was never going to give it up."

"I convinced her." Well, forced was the correct term. He had stripped her of her gym leader title and forced her to leave town.

She continued to look at him, as if he were a complete total stranger. Which, well, he probably was to her now. He was the Champion, and she was a challenger. That was a relationship that would never work. It would be like a teacher and a student getting together. "Your grandfather gave me a lot to think about."

"He's good at that."

"I… would like us to remain friends."

A glimmer of hope. At least she hadn't shut him out completely yet. "I'm glad."

She smiled, but it wasn't a genuine one. "But you need to tell me the truth." She looked at him now, directly in the eyes. "If we are going to continue being friends, I need to know who you really are. What did you do in the past that was so bad?"

He knew this question was going to be asked eventually. His grandfather had probably mentioned it just to make him feel more uncomfortable than he already was. He fidgeted slightly, turning his head away. How could he tell Lyra that he had forced his own Pokemon to evolve, after telling her how wrong it was? It made him look a bit like hypocrite. It wasn't like she needed another reason to distrust him. He turned back to her. "It happened a long time ago, it's no longer relevant."

"I need to know, Lance." The way she said his name made his heart ache.

"You won't like what you hear."

"I won't know that if you don't tell me."

A few moments of silence passed by. He never imagined he would be in this position sharing a part of his history with someone else other than his grandfather. Heck, he never thought he'd enjoy the company of someone else outside his own family and his Pokemon. For as long as he had been a trainer, Pokemon had been the biggest part of his life. But now Lyra had wormed her way into it and he wasn't willing to lose her. Clair was right about something. How he felt about Lyra was different to anything else he had ever experienced. "I was once the gym leader of Blackthorn," he started, pausing briefly, examining her face.

She was calm for the moment. "Go on."

"But I wasn't in that position for very long. I aspired to be part of the Elite Four so I could eventually become Champion, but getting to that position was difficult. To gain a position within the league, I had to defeat all the gym leaders. I managed to get to the final gym, but it didn't really go the way I wanted it to." He ran a hand through his hair, feeling fidgety again. "Pryce was the final challenger, and as you are well aware of, dragons are super-weak against the ice-type."

"What did you do?"

This was the moment of truth. "I lost. I came back for a rematch and I lost again. I had three Dratini's on my team, and I… decided the only way to defeat Pryce was to have more power. I found a way to force them to evolve to the next evolution and won myself the battle. I earned a spot in the Elite Four after that." He searched her face. He did not see anger; he saw hurt instead.

"That's why you knew so much about forced evolution," Lyra whispered.

"And I pulled the same stunt again in my second year as an Elite Four member, to evolve one of my Dragonair's into a Dragonite."

She averted her gaze. Another brief pause. "Is that why you hate Team Rocket so much? Because they remind you of what you did?" she asked, looking at him again.

"What I did… I'm not proud of it. If I could take it all back, I would. But what happened in the past can't be changed. It's something I have to live with."

"I…" She looked physically sick to the stomach. "And all this time I thought… you could be trusted. I _believed_ that you were a good trainer. I _believed_ you had good morals." She forced a dry, bitter laugh, shaking her head. "But it's all just a lie. You don't even deserve to be called a Champion. You wouldn't even hold that position if Red hadn't have given it to you." She chewed on her bottom lip.

He was losing her. She was pulling away from him and he couldn't find a way to hold on. "I've been trying to make things right since then, Lyra." He tried making her see reason, but he knew this was an uphill battle. Any form of respect Lyra had for him had disappeared. If she had harboured any romantic feelings towards him they were well and truly gone now too. Clair had been right. He had been a fool to think he could ever have a future with a trainer like her. But Clair was gone too thanks to him. And before long, he'd lose his title as well and then he'd be left with nothing. "Please… say something," he almost begged.

"There's nothing else I can say. I'll see you at Indigo Plateau." She turned away and walked off without sparing another glance.

.

He stood at the entrance of the shrine debating with himself whether to enter the building or not. His grandfather was still in there and perhaps he could tell Lance what to do and how to fix the problem. He had answers to everything. He decided to ask for guidance and stepped inside to find his grandfather sitting down on the ground.

"What did you say to Lyra?"

His grandfather looked up at him, his brows furrowed. "I told her what she needed to hear."

"And you didn't think to include me in your little conversation?" he retorted, feeling a bout of anger rise.

"My words were for her ears only," his grandfather replied softly. "Where is Clair? I will ask her to confer the badge."

Lance felt his stomach tighten. His grandfather wasn't going to be pleased when he learned that Lance had banished Clair from Blackthorn. "She's given up the badge. Lyra is on her way to the league." And there he would meet her again and probably for the last time to. Would he have a chance then to explain himself better or had the chance already gone?

"I would like to speak with Clair."

"She's gone."

His grandfather searched his grandson's eyes, looking for answers. He must've found one because his expression changed to one of disappointment. It reminded him of the look he received when his grandfather learned about the forced evolutions, but this hurt more. He did not say anything – he didn't need to. His face said it all.

"Go on, say it. You're disappointed."

"I have nothing to say."

Lance wished his grandfather would yell, shout and scream even, but he did not raise his voice at all. He looked away and tightened his jaw, curling his fingers into fists at his side. Lyra felt betrayed. Clair hated him. And his grandfather was disappointed in him once again. "I see it was a mistake coming here then. You probably don't want to be around me either," he scoffed, trying to make a joke but failing miserably. Again, his grandfather remained silent. Lance rolled his eyes then exited the shrine, feeling like he had been the one banished from the clan. It reminded him of one of his early conversations with his grandfather where the man had warned him about not listening. As soon as he stepped foot out of the building, he was approached by the Blackthorn nurse.

"Lance, since you're back in town, do you think you could show me a few new moves and such?" she asked, a tinge of red appearing on her cheeks, as she twirled a lock of hair around a slender finger. "I'm having trouble trying to evolve my Dratini and I was thinking maybe you could assist?"

He knew what she wanted. A chance to spend some quality time with the one and only Lance, the dragon master Champion! The nurse had been trying for months to get her Pokemon to evolve but she just wasn't capable of doing it. She might as well stop trying because she would never get it to evolve because she lacked the skills. "I don't have the time."

She clung onto his arm. "Please!"

He shook her off. "Don't touch me."

"But…"

He glared. She took a few steps back, afraid. "I know what you are trying to do, but you should give it up. I'm not interested in you – or any other stupid member of my fanclub – and I never will be, so do me a favour and back off," he snapped.

"Lance." Lance turned around to find his grandfather standing outside. When did he come out? "I know you're upset, but please, don't take out your frustrations on fellow tamers," his grandfather said. "That is not the way a Blackthorn dragon master should act, nor should a Champion." He turned to the nurse and bowed. "I am sorry, but I must ask you to leave. Lance did not mean to cause any offense." The nurse bit her lip, threw Lance a fearful look then darted away.

Lance spun around, eyes burning like black fire. "What? Did I disappoint you again? I'm sorry, but some habits are hard to break," he retorted, voice laced with mock sarcasm.

"I understand what you are going through."

He snorted. "No, you don't understand a damn thing and I'm not going to waste my time trying to make you understand!"

His grandfather looked at him calmly, not at all thrown off by his grandson's attitude. "Then why have you come?"

He had a reply ready, but the words got caught in his throat. He had originally come to get some advice about how to deal with Lyra, but that didn't look like it was going to happen. Besides, he didn't feel completely comfortable telling his grandfather how he felt about the girl anyway. He still wasn't quite sure himself. "It was a mistake coming here. You don't have anything useful to say." He turned around and stormed out of the den, his grandfather watching his retreating form with sad eyes.

.

Lyra didn't set out for Victory Road immediately; after the episode with Lance, she wasn't too keen on reaching the league. Instead, she headed back home to spend some time with her mother. It had been years since she last spoke to her and right now all she wanted was her mum. "Hello, who is i-Lyra!" her mother exclaimed, as Lyra embraced her. Her mother stroked her daughter's hair, shocked by the sudden wave of affection.

"I'm so glad to be back at home," Lyra said, wrapping her arms around her tighter. "I missed you so much." She held her arms for a few brief moments then pulled away, looking up at her mother's smiling face.

"It's good to have you back at home, sweetie."

Lyra walked inside and sat down on the living room couch while her mother went to the kitchen. The house still looked exactly the same as it had all those long years ago. The only difference was that her mother had changed the curtains. They were pink now, not an olive green. "I don't know if I want to go on."

Her mother returned from the kitchen holding a jar of biscuits, and a mug of hot chocolate in the other. She laid them down on the table then sat down besides her daughter. "What do you mean?"

"I don't know if I want to head to the league anymore… the people there…" She closed her eyes, inwardly wincing as an image of Lance appeared in her head.

"Oh sweetie, have other trainers been giving you a rough time?" Her mother pulled her into a hug, stroking her back. "Was it Team Rocket?" Her mother's eyes searched her own.

Lyra shook her head, tightening her jaw. A brief image of Archer appeared in her head. "No… it's…" How was she supposed to tell her mum that Archer killed himself because of her? Some things were best left unsaid, even to her own mother.

"Has a boy been giving you trouble?"

Lyra pulled herself free from her mother's embrace. "Wha-what?"

"You've been on a long journey, I'm sure you've encountered heaps of people," her mother said, smiling. "It seems like a week ago that you departed on your journey… you were so young and innocent, and now look at you. You've matured into a smart, beautiful young woman. You've probably attracted a fair bit of attention from people."

Well, there was Morty. He did seem quite interested in hanging around her whenever he had the chance. And then there was Silver, but that was a different form of interest. He was only interested in making a fool out of her. And of course, there was Lance. "Well… uh…" Her face turned red.

"Who is it then? Who does your mother have to tell off?"

Lyra had to chuckle at that comment. "Well, he's a trainer."

"It's not that boy from across the street is it? Joey?"

Again, Lyra chuckled. "Of course not!" She stopped laughing. "He's in a position of importance. If it wasn't for him, I wouldn't be here now." Her thoughts drifted back to the events at the Lake of Rage. Her Pokemon had managed to bring her back to the shore, but _he_ had kept her warm. That silly cape of his had served as a blanket to keep her from catching pneumonia or something equally as bad. He had chosen to give it to her, even though he too had dived into the water. He placed himself at a risk of catching something nasty just to keep her safe.

He had also returned to assist her against the two Rocket grunts down at the base. He could've left her alone, but he willingly returned. It would have been easy for him to simply neglect her then take all the glory for himself. _But he didn't._ Regret poured through her. In the wake of hearing about his shady history, she had overlooked the good deeds he had done. Not only that, but he had chosen to visit her to personally give his congratulations on defeating Team Rocket when he could've just passed on a message. And he had defended her against Clair's attacks.

Now she felt like a fool. He may not have earned the Champion title the right way, and he might have forced his Pokemon to evolve to get to that position in the first place, but helping her hadn't been an act of selfishness like she had accused him of. Lance was under no obligation to protect her; his grandfather might have asked him to, but he didn't have to obey. He had _chosen_ to help her because he had _wanted_ to, not because he _had_ to.

"Sweetie? Is everything all right?"

She needed to speak with him again. Urgently. But he was most likely at the Pokemon League preparing for Lyra's arrival. Would he even want to talk with her again after their last meeting? He looked pretty shattered after that. "I…" It was then she realized just how much Lance had grown on her in their past few encounters. For awhile she had tried to convince herself he was just a friend, but he was so much more than that. It's why it hurt so much to hear him confess he had forced his Pokemon to evolve.

 _He will tell you things that will make you angry, but I know you will be able to find it within your heart to forgive him._ The Elder's final words came back to her. "I've made a mistake," she said glumly.

"No matter what happens, or how bad it seems today, Lyra, life does go on, and it will be better tomorrow," her mother said softly. "You always have a second chance to make things right."

"But what if it's too late? He's probably forgotten me already."

"People will forget what you said and people will forget what you did – they have to be reminded through stories, but people will never forget how you made them feel." She brushed loose strands of hair away from Lyra's eyes. "From the day you were born, I always knew you were someone special. Coping with your father's loss was difficult, but I still had you. You are the light in my world. I'm not surprised others view you the same way."

Lyra sat in silence, letting her mother's words sink in. The light in the darkness. The bringer of hope. The key to redemption. "I'm not letting it end like this…" She looked towards the window, looking across the ocean. "I'm going to make things right." She stood up.

"That's my baby girl; don't let anything or anyone bring you down."

Mother and daughter embraced again. It was then time to leave again. Lyra exited her house when she was approached by Professor Elm. He was panting heavily, looking like he had just run a mile to find her… which he probably had. "There you are! I've been trying to contact you for long time now, Lyra! Don't you answer your calls?"

She had forgotten about that. She had been so caught up in the drama with Lance she hadn't even felt her Xtransceiver vibrate once. "Sorry, I have a lot on my mind."

"Well, now that I have found you, you can have this. This is a gift from me, a Master Ball! It will catch any Pokemon without fail!" He thrust the purple shiny ball into her hands and spoke some more. "You need to head to Ecruteak City. The kimono girl, Naoko, specifically asked you to appear. You must go now."

"The egg hatched."

"Nevermind that now, Lyra. Head to Ecruteak City."

Professor Elm seemed pretty eager for her to leave so she summoned her Staraptor, climbed on the avian's back, and flew back towards Ecruteak.

.

Being within the walls of the league had once been a comfort, but now it made him feel repulsed. All the people who worked there thought he was someone special, someone who deserved to be called Champion, when he was nothing more than a fake. How would they feel if they knew the truth? How would his loyal fanclub members feel if they discovered his shady history? He was no better than a Team Rocket grunt.

So instead of returning to the league, he headed to Olivine City, and made his way towards the gym. Jasmine was the kindest member of the Johto leaders and the most understanding. She would be disappointed with him, but she wouldn't turn him away. He rubbed the back of his neck, pushed the door open and walked inside.

"Hey there, Lance! How's it going?" said one of the gym trainers.

Lance faked a smile, acknowledging them with a nod. Up ahead he spotted Jasmine sitting down on a chair. "I need to speak with Jasmine alone." The two trainers nodded and left the gym without asking any questions. Lance was grateful for that – the last thing he needed right now was nosy trainers trying to mess with his head.

"Lance!" Jasmine said, giving him a gentle-natured smile. She ran over to him and gave him a welcoming hug. "You didn't tell me you were dropping by."

"It was unplanned visit."

She pulled her arms away, and looked up at him. Concern crossed her face. "Shouldn't you be at the league? I would've thought Lyra would've reached you by now."

He gave a derisive snort. "That's exactly why I'm here."

"Is it over already then?"

"I feel like it's over." He looked down at the ground. "Is there anywhere to sit?"

She nodded. "Come into the lounge," she remarked, leading Lance towards a secret door. Every gym had a place for the leader to relax in before a challenger arrived. Jasmine's lounge was small and colourful. There was a couch pressed up against a flower papered wall. He sat down, looking ahead. "You can tell me anything, you know. I will not judge you."

He didn't say anything.

"Lance, you shouldn't keep everything bottled up inside. It's not good for your health."

Still, he remained silent. Having a deep and meaningful session wasn't exactly the way he pictured his afternoon. Usually, when he was upset about something, he'd challenge one of the Elite Four members to a battle. That was usually the best way to let off some steam without actually having to talk about _feelings._

"Whatever it is that is troubling you, you know I will not judge you or hold it against you, Lance." She sat down right beside him, placing a hand on his shoulder. He tensed, and Jasmine quickly withdrew her hand. "Is Lyra in trouble? Did she get lost on her way to the league?"

He wanted to laugh at the awkwardness of the situation he had found himself in. Here he was, League Champion and dragon master, sitting in a gym about to engage in a deep and meaningful session about his mental state. What a joke. How the media would love to get their hands on this. "Lyra's fine."

"Then what seems to be the problem?"

"Everything," he said flatly. "I've lost everything… well, I'm about to." He forced a bitter laugh. Jasmine remained silent, prompting him to continue. He took in a deep breath and sighed. "My whole career has built upon a lie."

She shook her head. "That's not true."

Now that he started talking, he couldn't make himself stop. "Everything is falling apart around me. Clair hates me for good reason, my grandfather doesn't believe in me, I'm about to lose my title as Champion… things aren't looking up for me." He managed to force another dry sardonic laugh.

"Everyone loses, Lance."

He had heard those words before. "Losing a battle I can deal with… it's what I deserve… but losing her?" He tried to keep his voice steady, but failed to conceal the edge.

"You are talking about Lyra still, aren't you?" Lance frowned. How had Jasmine jumped to that conclusion? "I heard how she defeated Team Rocket."

"I always thought it'd be me, you know? But it was never meant to be. I guess there are people out there that don't deserve to be happy… like me." He had experienced moments of elation before, but they were short lived and usually the result of winning a battle against a tough opponent. The happiest lasting moment he had experienced had been travelling with Lyra towards the Lake of Rage.

"That isn't true," she said sternly. "You are one of the most hard-working trainers I know. If anyone deserves to be happy, it's you."

"If you were aware of the things I have done in the past, then you'd think otherwise," he replied bitterly. "I didn't earn my Champion title. Red gave it to me. I also forced my Pokemon to evolve just so I could be accepted into the Elite Four. Now do you think I deserve anything good to happen to me?" he retorted. "Go on, say it. You're disappointed that someone like me could do something so stupid."

Jasmine shook her head. "I told you, I'm not going to hold judgement. Everyone makes mistakes… we make mistakes and we learn from them. Even trainers at your level make errors, Lance. It's human nature."

Needless to say he was a little surprised by Jasmine's reaction. No anger, no hint of disappointment in those eyes at all. He almost felt angry – why wasn't she upset? "You are way too forgiving."

"You're a friend. I'm here to support you. That's what friends do." He shifted uncomfortably in his seat. "Now let's talk about Lyra. She's the reason you dropped by after all. What does she mean to you to bring you all the over here when you should be at the league preparing?"

A great deal. He enjoyed her company and missed not having her around. It was like suddenly finding himself alone in a dark room with no light source. She was the light. Clair had called it infatuation. She insisted he was in love with Lyra without him not even realizing it. "She… well…" This was difficult.

"I'll make it easier. How does she make you feel?"

"She annoyed me at first. I didn't like the thought of her taking all the glory for herself," he said, recalling the days following the incident at the Slowpoke Well near Azalea Town. At the time Lyra was just some rookie trainer with terrible fashion taste. She looked stupid. How things had changed. "But then I found myself in Mahogany Town where I had a conversation with Pryce's wife about what it means to be a Champion. She changed my perspective on Lyra." That conversation had been awkward as well now that he thought about it, but Sheila had opened his mind to reason.

"And you unknowingly allowed yourself to care for someone rather than yourself."

He frowned. "I accompanied Lyra to the Lake of Rage. We talked a fair bit. I got to know her better, and she got to know me better without realizing who I really was. I had a chance to tell her my true identity, but I chose not to."

"You didn't want her judging you for your title."

His eyes narrowed. "I don't want to be judged because I hold some stupid title! Fans… friends… they only want to know me because I'm famous," he snapped, feeling a rush of hot anger pour through him. Embarrassment came soon after. He was a guest here. "And that's why I didn't tell her. It gave me a chance to be me without having to think my reputation for once."

"And Lyra got to know on a personal level – she saw a side to you not many people have had a chance to see," Jasmine pointed out, smiling. "That invisible wall you've had up for so long has fallen, Lance. The first few pieces started to crumble the moment you and Lyra set off together. Whatever events occurred during that journey changed you and it brought you closer to her without realizing it."

He looked at Jasmine, dejectedly. "And now she hates me."

Jasmine shook her head. "If Lyra cares about you the same way you do for her, she will forgive you for your mistakes. She's been hurt – and she needs some time to recover, to reassess her feelings." She smiled. "Everyone deserves a second chance."

Lance didn't respond this time. He hoped Jasmine was right. "I guess I'll find out after the match."

"Then you should probably head back to the league and prepare for the biggest battle of your life. I know you will get the outcome you deserve." Lance wished he felt as confident as Jasmine did, but couldn't shake off the feeling that something bad was going to happen. These were the sort of the situations where bad things were more likely to occur. He put on a polite smile, said his goodbyes and made his way outside.

Indigo League beckoned to him. There he would have another chance to prove to Lyra of his worth.


	26. Guardian of the Skies

Thanks to mirrorkinomoto for reviewing the previous chapter

 **.**

 **Chapter Twenty Five: Guardian of the Skies**

She hadn't even set foot on Ecruteak soil, when she heard her name called out. Looking down on the world below, she noticed Morty (of course) and five kimono girls standing there, glancing up at her. Staraptor landed and she climbed off. "Professor Elm told me it was urgent. What has happened?"

"Strange things have been happening since you last left us," Morty said, supplying an answer. "We've experienced some light showers and each one has produced a rainbow. Do you know what this means? Ho-Oh has returned!" His bright blue eyes were sparkling. Lyra couldn't help but feel incredibly excited as well.

"Ho-Oh circles the city high above in the clouds. Now is the right time to bring the bird to land on top of Bell Tower," Naoko said. "You will be the one to do this."

"Wh-what? Me?"

Naoko nodded. "Throughout your journey, you have proven to Ho-Oh, you are a trainer with a pure heart. You helped two of my sisters find their way out of the Ice Path and Ilex Forest. You saved the Slowpoke when you could've just let someone else do it instead. You lost your first two gym battles, but you persevered and won the rematches."

Zuni stepped forward. "We also know that you spared the Red Gyarados at the Lake of Rage."

"And you hatched the egg we gave to Professor Elm," another kimono girl said. Lyra noticed a name badge. Miki.

"You defeated Team Rocket and drove them out of these lands," another kimono girl said. She couldn't tell which one was which. Fortunately, these girls had name badges as well. Her name was Sayo.

The final kimono girl stepped forward. Kuni. "You have maximized the bond with your Pokemon."

Naoko spoke again, handing Lyra an orange sized bell. "This is the Clear Bell. Stand on top of the tower and ring the bell three times. You'll need to hold up the Rainbow Wing you received from the radio director, Stanley as well."

The Rainbow Wing. She had forgotten she even had. "Oh, I thought it was just a pretty souvenir."

"The Rainbow Wing comes from Ho-oh itself," Morty said. "It fell from its wing many centuries ago. It's been passed down from generation to generation until it ended up in the hands of Red. He released Ho-Oh though and ever since then, Ho-Oh has been searching for the next worthy trainer." He smiled at her.

"We have already informed the guard you will be arriving," Zuni said.

"We'll be waiting for you when you return!" Morty added.

Lyra nodded. She felt like she needed to prove her worth still, but the kimono girls seemed more than satisfied with her list of achievements. At least this would give her some time away from her Lance drama. She said her goodbyes and headed towards the Bell Tower. Unlike before, this time she could see the form of the legendary bird flying high above the peak. Would Ho-Oh come down or was this just someone's idea of a cruel joke?

Pushing negative thoughts aside, Lyra strolled towards the entrance. The old man who had explained to her the history of the city stepped aside as soon as his eyes laid on her. "Welcome, Lyra. Naoko has told me everything. Please, go ahead." He bowed his head respectfully, and Lyra returned a warm smile. Once inside, the old man moved to his original spot. Lyra found herself wondering if the man did that all day and all night long.

The walk towards the tower entrance was a magical experience. It felt like taking a step into another world where everything seemed way too perfect to be real. Leaves that had fallen from the coloured trees made up the pathway, crunching under feet as she walked over them. Soothing melodies of birdsong filled her ears as she continued on the path. As she drew closer, the tower seemed to become larger.

She assumed the Burned Tower looked like the Bell Tower in its glory days. A pagoda-style archway was built in front of the main building, and strangely enough there were no guards in sight. The man at the entrance in Ecruteak City seemed to be the only person guarding the place. Five floors made up the pagoda-structured building with the largest floor on the bottom. The walls were white, and the tiled roofs a dark shade of blue.

Finally, she arrived at the main door. The doors were open. Lyra suspected the old man had them unlocked specifically for her arrival. She stepped inside. The interior of the building reminded her of Sprout Tower back in Violet City – empty inside, not even one statue or painting to look at. It seemed like the place was devoid of any modern age art, and Lyra suspected that was the case to keep the place sacred.

She spotted a ladder leading up to the fifth floor. It didn't look safe at all, but she had no other choice but to go up it. Placing her hands on the rung above her head, she hoisted herself up and started to climb. Pain erupted in the upper right hand shoulder, but she continued to climb. Turning back now would mean turning back on Ho-Oh and this could be a once in a lifetime opportunity to catch the wild legendary bird.

Ascending upwards for what felt like hours, Lyra finally reached the uppermost floor. She climbed off the ladder, rolled onto her back and lay motionless for a couple of minutes to catch her breath. Once she had stopped panting like an exhausted Houndour, she picked herself up the floor, dusted her dress and made her way to the balcony. Outside, she was immediately greeted by a strong breeze, which almost knocked her over. A loud, harsh cry coming from above made her arch her neck back. There! Up above with the clouds was a magnificent phoenix.

"Here goes nothing… I sure hope this works," she mumbled, removing the Rainbow Wing and Clear Bell from her bag. She walked a couple of inches towards the edge of the balcony, holding the two items up high. Another breeze blew, causing the bell to chime. Its melody was soothing and Lyra found herself feeling quite relaxed. There was another chime followed by an eager squawk. Rather than take in the scenery around her, Lyra trained her eyes on the legendary bird.

It dove towards her. Her eyes widened. The bird was large up high above, but now that it was rapidly descending, Lyra noticed the bird was one of the biggest Pokemon she had ever seen, only dwarfed by a Steelix and Onix. Its massive nine-foot wings were pinned against the bird's red-feathered body, as it hurtled towards the tower like a comet hitting the region. Ho-Oh landed on top of the tower, gripping onto the slope with strong talons. The bird stretched its wings out, peering down at her with black ringed, intimidating red eyes.

Lyra wasn't sure how to address the great bird. No one had ever told her how to greet a legendary Pokemon. She stared up at it, unable to pull her eyes away from the bird's sheer beauty. Although she knew what the Pokemon was called, she held up her Pokedex anyway.

 _Ho-oh. Legends claim this Pokemon flies the world's skies continuously on its magnificent seven-coloured wings._

Lyra didn't see seven colours – she only saw five colours: gold, red, yellow, white and green. Perhaps the Pokedex could see something her eyes couldn't. Ho-Oh continued to look down at her, unmoving. Was the bird expecting a battle? How was she supposed to beat a legendary anyway? She moved her hands down to her belt, reaching for Toto's pokeball. Ho-Oh tilted its head to the side. Lyra withdrew her hand, unsure.

Wait. The master ball. Hadn't Professor Elm mentioned the ball could catch _anything without fail?_ Ho-Oh didn't look like it wanted to fight, but this could simply be a trick. Besides, if she was going to put the ball to good use, she was going to use it on a truly special Pokemon. She pulled out her bag and searched inside looking for the flashy purple ball. There. She put the Clear Bell and Rainbow Wing back inside, withdrawing the master ball. "Please don't get mad at me," she said in a low voice, as she brought her arm back. Ho-Oh made a high-pitched cry again, almost making Lyra drop it. Fortunately, she held on then threw it forward. The ball sparkled as it sailed through the air.

The ball hit the Ho-Oh's chest and bounced off, landing on the ground. The lid opened and a bright red light encased the legendary. Ho-Oh was pulled into the ball. The ball didn't even rock once. Ho-Oh, the legendary bird of the infamous Ecruteak tale, had been caught. She stared down at the ball. Now what? She wasn't going to use the legendary in the league challenge, but she could sense Ho-Oh's eagerness to battle.

She bent down, picked up the ball and placed it in her bag, then made her way back down the ladder. Going down seemed to take less time than going up had, and she soon found herself back on safe ground again. It didn't take her too long to return to Ecruteak City. The kimono girls and Morty were waiting for her at the main entrance.

"You did it, didn't you?" Naoko said, smiling.

Lyra nodded. "I just used the master ball. Ho-Oh deserves nothing less."

"You didn't fight at all?" Morty asked, perplexed. "Why wouldn't you fight?"

Lyra shrugged. "Ho-Oh didn't seem interested in fighting. It just sat there, looking at me. Legendaries only approach trainers if they find you are a pure hearted trainer, right? So what's the point in battling then? The Pokemon knows you're pure-hearted, so you shouldn't have to fight. It wouldn't be proving anything."

"That's… an interesting perspective," Morty replied. "I guess that's why Ho-Oh never appeared to me."

"Are you going to use Ho-Oh in your league challenge?" Zuni asked.

"No, that doesn't seem right," Lyra answered. "I do plan to use Ho-Oh in a battle, and I know just the person."

Naoko smiled again, pulling Lyra into a hug. "Whoever you decide to battle against using Ho-Oh, I know it will change that trainer. Good luck in your challenge, Lyra!"

Sayo nodded. "You may lack long years of experience, but the bond you share with your Pokemon, will always be stronger. I wish you all the very best in your journey to the top."

"The Champion and the Elite Four await you, Lyra," Morty said, giving Lyra a handshake. "We will be rooting for you on the television screen."

"Television screen?" Lyra blurted. "You mean my challenge is going to be _filmed?"_

Morty lifted a brow. "You're special, Lyra. You defeated Team Rocket, remember? Everyone is going to want to see the heroine of Johto in action. I would recommend taking on the league when your Pokemon are strong enough. Going in under levelled will only result in a loss. If your Pokemon are at good levels, you'll breeze through the league if you can develop a good counter-attacking strategy. Remember, everyone in Johto and Kanto will be watching you. The backlash will be incredible if you lose."

Talk about pressure, she thought. She had hoped to take on the league a few times over to develop strategies to defeat them. But if everyone was going to watching her every move… then perhaps following Morty's advice would be wise. "What do you suggest I do, then?"

"Before you set off for Victory Road, why don't you visit all the gym leaders? They'll all have advice for you," Morty said. "As gym leaders, we know more about the Elite Four and the Champion than anyone else in the region. If you're interested in training, I'd suggest heading over to the waterfall in between the Safari Zone and Cianwood City. There's some tough Pokemon up there."

"Thanks for the advice."

He smiled. "Well, I've given you my advice for the league. The others will tell you more. Farewell!" The five Kimono sisters each gave Lyra a parting hug before Lyra climbed onto her Staraptor's back. She had never felt so excited to travel to someplace new before. Travelling to the Indigo Plateau… the very place where Champions were made. The Elite Four would be waiting for her… and so would Lance.

.

The past week had taken Lyra on a journey around Johto. She met up with all the gym leaders she had defeated (with the exception of Clair because she couldn't be found), and picked up some valuable advice for the challenge ahead. Falkner and Bugsy told her about the Elite Four members, Will, Koga, Bruno and Karen while Whitney and Chuck explained how Lyra could win. Pryce simply told Lyra to believe in herself and in her Pokemon, but visiting Jasmine had been the most memorable.

" _He came to me earlier this week to talk about you," Jasmine said. "He cares about you a great deal, Lyra even if he's not willing to admit that out loud yet."_

" _He talked to you about me?" Lyra repeated, feeling a little shocked. "I can't say I'm too surprised though. Our last conversation didn't end on a happy note," she added, tone laced with guilt. If she could turn back time to fix up one error, it would be the conversation she had with the Champion before heading home._

" _I know you're unhappy with him, but he has been working hard to make up for those mistakes. I can't tell you what to do next, Lyra – all I can say is we all make mistakes, but we can make things right again. That's all the advice I can give to you. Good luck."_

 _Meeting up with Lance again was going to be an awkward experience,_ Lyra thought. But it was something she had to overcome. She set foot on the Johto-Kanto border when she was suddenly approached by a rather chubby man. She spotted food stains smeared all over the front of his shirt. "Uh, hello?" she said politely.

"You're Lyra, aren't you? I've seen you on television!" The man stuck out his hand, urging Lyra to take it. She did reluctantly, wincing as he shook it firmly. "Do you know what you just did? You just stepped into Kanto region! You being here tell me you are heading towards the Indigo Plateau. I've got some information to tell you."

"Uh, ok."

The man beamed a toothy grin. "Victory Road is just up ahead, but you'll need more than just strong Pokemon to get you through. You need to have Pokemon that know how to push boulders, smash rocks, climb waterfalls and cross whirlpools to get make it to the league building."

 _Well, that was a problem,_ Lyra thought. "My Pokemon only can only do one of those things." None of her current Pokemon could swim across whirlpools.

He pointed to a small wooden cabin nearby. "That's no problem! You're allowed to take one supporting Pokemon anyway so choose a Pokemon that can handle all that. Just step inside this building over here and you can make any changes necessary. Don't worry once you make it to the league you'll be able to change your line up again. Go for it, Lyra! I'll be watching you on the screen!"

She smiled then moved over to the cabin. Stepping inside the cabin, she immediately made her way to the Pokemon storage system. Entering her log on details, she brought up the screen.

"What would you like to do?" said a robotic female voice.

Lyra clicked on the 'deposit' button. The screen brought up a box of her stored Pokemon and a smaller box with her current team. Togepi, Ho-Oh, Red Gyarados, Shiny Dratini and Paras rested in the storage area. There was a whirring noise as two pokeball transfer slots emerged from the machine.

It was difficult to choose a Pokemon to sacrifice since she wanted to take them all with her, but someone had to be left off. "All right, I'll select Red Gyarados as my support." She selected the avatar for the Gyarados and seconds later, the pokeball emerged.

Now she was faced with another dilemma. She wanted to use Ho-Oh for this part, but that would mean making a change to her team. The thought of parting with any of her current Pokemon didn't sit well with her – after all, she had experienced a lot with them – but what had to be done, had to be done. Decisions, decisions. It was only going to be for a short time though, but who to swap out?

Ho-Oh was a fire-type and a flying-type so swapping Staraptor or Growlithe was the best obvious choice. Growlithe still needed a bit of extra experience though, so she decided to exchange Staraptor for the legendary. "Sorry, Staraptor. I'll bring you back once I reach the league." One bird for another. She placed Staraptor's ball in the transfer slot. Moments later, Ho-Oh appeared. She scooped up the ball and placed it in her bag then exited the cabin.

She turned her attention to the intimidating cave across the water. There was a golden archway reading 'Victory Road' just before the entrance. Lyra took in a deep breath and headed towards the next pool of water. She didn't get very far when she heard a cry of frustration coming from a clearing within the trees. Curious, drew closer.

There was a bush in the way and unfortunately Lyra didn't have Paras with her, but she could see over it. She spotted Eusine standing a few feet away all alone talking to himself. "You refuse me now, Suicine… but you _will_ be mine. I made a promise to continue his work and I never break promises. I will find you again!"

Lyra couldn't help herself. She called out his name. "Eusine!"

His head jerked in her direction. "So, you made it to Victory Road after all."

 _Well, that was less than friendly greeting._ "You're still chasing after Suicine."

"Indeed," he said with a nod. "I told you I would never stop." He moved towards the bush, eyes never leaving her face, looking at her with newfound wonder as if she was a legendary herself. "But Suicine continues to refuse me… and I wonder if it's because of your existence? Suicine has chosen you, but if I defeat you in battle and remove you from this world, then Suicine will move on and choose someone else."

Lyra stepped back, uncertain. There was a maddened gleam in his eyes that hadn't been visible before when she encountered him in Cianwood. The obsession to make Suicine his had consumed him. She could feel Ho-Oh's rage emanating from her master ball. Obviously, Ho-Oh could sense the man's intentions towards Suicine were not good. "I am not easily defeated, Eusine."

A slow smile crossed his face. "You will fall, Lyra. All great heroes do. Allow me to congratulate you on your excellent victory against Team Rocket – I was beginning to tire of that fool's nonsensical blabbering."

"Are you in league with Team Rocket?" she said softly.

"I had hoped Archer would defeat you, but it seems he was too weak to complete the task." He sighed. "But I do not need his help to defeat you."

Lyra's jaw tightened. "Then battle me."

He laughed. "Do you take me for a fool? Now is not the right time to battle. I will wait until the time is right. Now go on and claim the title that you are destined to take. We will meet again, Lyra." He chuckled, sending a cold chill down her spine. She was tempted to defeat him right now but she couldn't get pass the prickly bush. "Goodbye."

Discussion over. Eusine wasn't going to say another word and she couldn't get to him. She had no choice but to push aside Eusine's threats and continue on to Victory Road to reach the league. Archer had been right about one thing – peace never lasted forever.

.

Overcoming the obstacles Victory Road presented was a challenge unlike any she had faced before. She had lost count of how many times she had to push boulders out of her way, and how many wrong turns she had taken. Sometimes she took a turn thinking it would lead her to the upper level, only to find she had walked into another dead end. Her Pokemon seemed just as agitated as her, venting their frustrations on inanimate objects.

Her Red Gyarados smashed another rock, letting out a ferocious spine-tingling roar. Although the Pokemon was much calmer than it had been when she first encountered it, he was still prone to violent outbursts. Thankfully, it never turned his rage on her, but it was still rather a nerve-wrecking experience being in the presence of a raging Gyarados.

"Oh no, we've been here before!" she exclaimed, pointing at a rock. Toto had marked it with three long lines earlier. "We're going around in circles!" Her shoulders slumped. How on earth was she supposed to make it to the league? The Elite Four members and Lance were probably waiting for her to walk through those doors right now. "Ugh."

What was even more annoying than getting lost was that there appeared to be no trainers present in Victory Road. She had hoped to ask another trainer for directions, but unfortunately, that wasn't going to happen. Had no one else managed to make it this far in recent times? She would've thought there would've been a handful of them trying to stop other people from reaching the league.

She walked around some more thankful the cave was brightly lit. At least there was something positive to say about the caves. Now if only someone would nicely put in some signs directing people where to go… Eventually, she found a ladder leading up to the second floor. The second floor was just as confusing. There was a cliff facing her, and a path leading south and one leading north. "Eh, which one to take? Eenie, meenie, miny moe, catch a Sentret by the tail, if it screams, let it go, eenie, meenie, miny… moe!" Her finger landed on the southern path. "South it is then."

She made her way down the southern path, following a road that never seemed to end. It took her up on the cliff top, but the path seemed like it was going nowhere. She wondered if she had taken the wrong path, and briefly considered backtracking until she found another ladder. "Thank Arceus," she said, relieved. Climbing up the ladder, she felt a sense of triumph. Some progress had been made!

Now she was on the third floor and she hoped this was the final one. By this point in time, she had grown sick of caves. All the caves looked exactly the same. At least when she was travelling from one city to the next, the routes varied. There was always something to see outside. She headed towards the eastern path, after reaching a junction. North or east. This time, she decided to take the northern path.

There was a hole leading down waiting for her. Lyra dropped to her knees and looked down. Down below, she spotted a murky brown potion. Another move to help her defeat the Elite Four? There was no way she was going to let this opportunity go by, so she dropped down and retrieved it. "Earthquake," she said, reading the words imprinted on a tiny label. Had someone mistakenly dropped it? _Now, how to get back to where I was,_ she thought, looking around.

Fortunately, there was a ladder nearby. She climbed up it, pushed aside a boulder and soon found herself back on the second floor again with the cliff. Once again, she headed down the southern path feeling a sense of déjà vu. It didn't take her long to reach the third level and return to where she had been moments before. She reached the junction and took the eastern path, which led her past three rocks. "Gyarados, use Rock Smash!"

Gyarados happily obliged, and rammed his body into the rocks, smashing them into bits. Behind the third rock was another bottle. It was a deep shade of purple. Lyra picked it up. "Dark Pulse." She placed it in her bag then continued making her way to the east. Up ahead, she saw a light which could only mean one thing – the exit of Victory Road was just ahead. A smile crossed her face. Finally.

"Wait right there, chump. You're not going anywhere."

She froze. That voice… could it be? Silver? Turning around she spotted the familiar long-red haired boy standing behind her, a sneer on his face. "I was beginning to wonder when you would show up," she said, trying her hardest to conceal the edge in her voice by acting calmly. Why did it have to be right now when she was _so_ close to reaching the league?

He stepped forward. "So you managed to defeat Team Rocket, but I don't care. Defeating them doesn't mean you're strong. They were already weak to begin with, just like you." He raised a finger and pointed it at her. "You want to challenge the league? Don't even bother, you're not strong enough. I'll take your place instead, so just hand me your badges now and I won't have to hurt you."

"I'm not giving you my hard earned badges."

He spat at the ground. "Fine. I'll just have to take them off you by force then. Go, Sneasel!" He summoned a Pokemon that looked like a cross between a weasel and a feline. It had blue dark blue fur, and three red feathers for a tail. What captured Lyra's attention were the long sharp claws on both the Pokemon's hands. She pulled out her Pokedex for information.

 _Sneasel. Its paws conceal sharp claws. If attacked, it suddenly extends the claws and startles its enemy._

She put the item away back into her bag. "You got lucky the last time we battled in Ecruteak, but I'm not going to let your tricks get the better of me." She glanced down at her Pokemon and selected the master ball. This was the moment she had been waiting for.

"I will defeat you and I will become the world's greatest trainer!"

"A great trainer isn't about pure power, Silver! It's about maximising the bond with your Pokemon!"

Silver scowled. "I'm not weak-hearted like you. Power is everything. Winning is all that matters!"

"Is that why you hate Team Rocket so much? Because you're so alike?" She knew that comment would sting.

His eyes widened. "How dare you compare me to that filth?"

Lyra threw her pokeball onto the ground a few feet in front of her. The ball popped open and a red light emerged, temporarily blinding all present. The light faded and Ho-Oh appeared, fixing its red eyes on the Sneasel. Sneasel seemed to cower under the legendary's gaze. It was as if Ho-Oh was the king of a kingdom and Sneasel just a commoner, forced to kneel before the leader. "Ho-Oh, use Fire Blast!" An overpowering burst of fire erupted from the bird's mouth, setting the Sneasel alight.

"No… no way! Why would a legendary want to submit itself to a weakling like you?!" Silver raged, as Sneasel fainted. Lyra thought she caught a glimpse of fear in his dark eyes, but it was gone just as quick. He drew out his next Pokemon, a Magneton. Ho-Oh used Fire Blast again and Magneton fainted before it could even use an attack of its own. "But it doesn't matter. I. Am. Not. Giving. Up!" He was becoming desperate now; Lyra could see the panic in his eyes.

"You will never become strong if you continue following this path, Silver!" Ho-Oh crowed, flapping its massive wings. It beat its wings so hard Silver had a hard time staying upright. "Do you want to be like Team Rocket by mistreating your Pokemon?"

He hissed. "I am not Team Rocket!"

"You stole a Pokemon!" Ho-Oh flapped its wings again, echoing Lyra's anger. This time, Silver actually toppled over.

"I stole two Pokemon!" he blurted, trying to pick himself back up again, but Ho-Oh wouldn't allow him to. Every time he tried, Ho-Oh beat him down again with a powerful gust. "I beat up some trainer for his Sneasel and I don't regret it!" he spat.

Lyra shook her head sadly. "The hate you feel… it corrupts you and your Pokemon."

He summoned a Golbat this time. Lyra knew a little bit about Golbat's since she had a Zubat for a short time. Golbat's only evolved into Crobats when peak happiness had been fulfilled. "Stop talking! Fight me! Golbat, use Air Cutter!" Golbat dashed forward, slashing at Ho-Oh's wings, as if the bat's wings were knives.

"Ho-Oh, use Extrasensory!" Ho-Oh closed its eyes, as a pink glow shrouded the bird. It opened its eyes several seconds later. Golbat thrashed wildly in the air, acting like it had been attacked in the air. It fell to the ground, eyes rolled back into its head. "You'll never win like this, Silver! I can help you!" Wasn't that her purpose after all? To help people find themselves again? Wasn't that what Lance's grandfather had said?

Silver summoned his forth Pokemon, a Haunter. Although it had now evolved, it was still the same Pokemon that had made her unconscious all those long years ago. "No! No one can help me!" he screamed, stamping the ground. "My father tried to help me, but all he wanted was to use me as a tool for his own purposes! I am _not_ Giovanni! I am _not my father's son!"_

And there it was the truth behind Silver's hostility. All the pieces fell into place. Silver hated Team Rocket because his father had been the mastermind behind the organization. The boy had probably been raised to think ill of everyone else but himself. No wonder he was so bitter all the time. "No, you're not. You can be better than that. Treating your Pokemon with love and care is the only way you'll ever become stronger." Ho-Oh echoed her words, by crowing loudly. It beat its wings again, conjuring a temporary rainbow which filled the cave. It made her wonder – had all the rainbows she had seen as a kid been of Ho-Oh's creation? "Ho-Oh, use Extrasensory again!"

Silver didn't issue an order for his Pokemon to counter-attack – he just stood there, shocked. "It can't end like this… I _am_ strong…" Haunter was struck by an invisible force and fainted in the same way Golbat had. Silver was left with only two Pokemon now, the first Pokemon he stole and another he had caught. He brought out a bipedal Pokemon, which looked a bit like a golden lizard standing on two legs. It held a spoon in its right hand.

Lyra held out her pokedex having never seen anything like it before.

 _Kadabra. The evolved form of Abra. It possesses strong spiritual power. The more danger it faces, the stronger its psychic power._

Ho-Oh didn't know the right moves to cause the Pokemon to faint in one hit, but the bird was certainly strong enough to endure anything the Kadabra threw at it.

"Kadabra… use Psybeam!"

"Ho-Oh, use Fire Blast!"

The two attacks collided, but Ho-Oh's immense power forced it back. Kadabra was shrouded in flames, screaming as its spoon melted away. Silver squeezed his eyes shut, slamming his fists into the floor. "No… no, no, no! Why can't I win?" he moaned.

"Give it up, Silver. You and I both know your last Pokemon will not be able to stand up against Ho-Oh. Do not put your Pokemon through the pain."

He glanced up at her, the fire in his eyes dimming. He didn't bother sending out his final Pokemon, knowing the battle had already been lost. Ho-Oh landed on the ground, standing behind Lyra, giving Silver a steely gaze. The bird didn't trust Silver, but even the legendary knew Silver could never hope to win. "You… You defeated me again."

Lyra walked over to him, extending a hand. "It doesn't always have to be like this, Silver. One of these days you'll be able to defeat me but only when you learn to love your Pokemon."

Silver wiped his eyes, staring at her hand. He stared for a few moments longer then took it, as she helped him to his feet. "Why… why did you want to help me?"

"Everyone makes mistakes," Lyra said, recalling Jasmine's words. "I forgive you." Three simple words yet they held so much meaning. Silver seemed shocked – he hadn't been expecting that. "But I can't remain here I have to take on the league. There's someone I need to talk to." Lance.

"I…"

She shook her head. "You don't need to say anything, Silver. I'll see you again when this is all over, but for now I really must leave."

He nodded, remaining silent. He retreated into the cave allowing Lyra to advance towards the exit, after she returned Ho-Oh to its ball. Stepping outside again brought her great relief. The sun was shining and the sky was mostly blue, except for a number of clouds crowding around the peak of the mountains to the east. No storms brewing on the horizon which was a nice change from the usual.

Up above, she saw the intimidating building towering before her. It was truly a magnificent structure, designed specifically to look imposing. She turned to look at the mountains. They were so tall they made Mount Mortar look miniscule in comparison. The peaks of the mountains were covered by thick cloud. Was that Mt. Silver? The one her father had tried to climb? Was this where Red lived now?

"Hey there, Lyra! I see you overcame the obstacles of Victory Road!" said the gym advisor. Needless to say, she was a little surprised to see him standing there. Had he flown all the way here just to greet her? Not that it was surprising though, after all, every single media outfit in Johto and Kanto were present. "As you've probably already guessed, this is Indigo Plateau, home to the Elite Four and the Champion! Once you step inside, you'll be able to rest, dine, shop and decide on your final team. Make sure you are fully prepared though – once you start the challenge you can't go back!" He stepped aside, allowing her to walk past. She thanked him and strolled up to the double glass doors and entered.

It was like stepping into another city of Johto. There were shops, healing centres, restaurants, trading machines… and lots of trainers and media present. In the far corner she spotted a tall blue haired girl with a banner which read, 'We love you no matter what happens, Lance!' She didn't see anyone she recognized making her feel rather out of place. People all over Johto and Kanto had come here to watch her battle on the big screen. It was rather nerve wrecking.

Taking in a deep breath, she walked up to the counter to decide on her final team. It wasn't a hard choice for she didn't have many Pokemon to choose from anyway. But what she could do was improve the move sets of her Pokemon to counter anything the Elite Four threw at her. She returned Gyarados and Ho-Oh to the pc and selected Staraptor again. Her team was set, but before entering through the doors she wanted to do one last check.

She exited the building so she could summon all her Pokemon without anyone crowding around her. "All right, this is the moment of truth. We are about to fight our toughest battle yet so I need to make sure you are all ready." She pulled out her pokedex and brought up the information about her team. The information was as follows:

Toto (Feraligatr), lvl 49

 _Avalanche, Crunch, Surf and Slash_

Gabite, lvl 47

 _Dragon Claw, Earthquake, Slash and Dig_

Staraptor, lvl 48

 _Close Combat, Take Down, Aerial Ace and Wing Attack_

Shelgon, lvl 47

 _Dragon Pulse, Flamethrower, Zen Headbutt and Dragonbreath_

Arcanine, lvl 47

 _Fire Blast, Flamethrower, Crunch and Heatwave_

Espeon, lvl 48

 _Psychic, Shadow Claw, Psybeam and Future Sight_

Hopefully, that'll be enough to defeat whatever Pokemon the Elite Four used. She returned her Pokemon to their balls and moved back inside the building. Upon re-entering, she was approached by the blue-haired girl who had been holding the 'We love you no matter what happens, Lance' banner.

"So, you're Lyra," the girl said. "I'm Marina, Lance's number one fan. You're not going to be able to defeat him."

 _Oh great,_ Lyra thought, sighing inwardly. Another obsessed Lance-fangirl. From her experience in Blackthorn, Lance fans were incredibly strange individuals. She tried to step aside to avoid Marina, but the girl just stepped in her path again. "I've got a title to claim," Lyra said.

"Lance will defeat you. You mean nothing to him. If anyone deserves his attention, it's me. Don't cry when you lose." She smiled sweetly and walked away to join a gaggle of girls standing nearby. As Lyra approached the main gates, the girls sent daggers in her direction. _Weird obsessive fangirls._ She shrugged it off.

"I know this might sound silly, but I have to see if you have all eight badges," the police officer said. He held out a hand, waiting for Lyra to hand over her badge case. She brought it out and gave it to him. He lifted the lid, looked down and nodded. "I see. You may pass. Once you step inside you will not be able to exit, so make sure you're prepared. Stock up on items! Good luck, Lyra. The entire region is watching you." He winked, stepping aside.

Lyra glanced down into her bag, checking to see if she had enough items to last the challenge. She counted at least fifteen hyper potions, ten revives a couple of full restores. Surely, that had to be enough to match up against the Elite Four and Lance? She took in a deep breath and stepped through the doors, jumping as it slammed behind her. The biggest challenge of her life started now.


	27. The League Challenge

This really isn't the most exciting chapter, but it's necessary unfortunately. I really despise writing battle scenes.  
Thanks to Jasmine and mirrorkinomoto for reviewing the previous chapter.

 **.**

 **Chapter Twenty Six: The League Challenge**

The league was the last place he wanted to be but he had no choice. The final battle was coming and he _had_ to be there. Staff members greeted him as he made his way to the Champion room and he simply acknowledged them with a nod. They all thought he was going to defeat Lyra easily – he had heard them just hours ago discussing ways Lyra was going to fail. He wanted to snap at them, tell them off, but the media journalists were there and they would capture every moment.

"Today's the big day, Lance," Karen said, stepping out from behind a corner. Lance wasn't expecting that and he jumped, surprised. "I'm impressed the girl has defeated all the eight gym leaders, but she won't stand a chance against us." She ran a hand through her long silvery-blue locks, giving Lance a smirk.

Before Lance could reply, the other three members of the Elite Four appeared from the surrounding rooms. Koga, the poison-type master, Will, the psychic-type master and Bruno, the fighting-type master all stepped forward, encircling him. "What do we know about this girl, anyway?" Bruno remarked, flexing his muscles.

"Don't you boys watch the news?" Karen replied, curling a lock of hair around a finger, giving an exasperated sigh. "She's the responsible for shutting down Team Rocket."

"She defeated Team Rocket, eh?" Koga said, readjusting his red cape. "She might actually be worth facing then."

Bruno rolled his eyes. "I wish I was battling her first." He curled his fingers on his right-hand into a ball, and drove them repeatedly into his left palm. "My Pokemon are eager to do some serious damage."

Lance remained silent, listening to his fellow companions discuss how badly Lyra was going to lose. He was actually concerned for her – if she entered the challenge unprepared, she would suffer a humiliating loss in front of the cameras, but if she came prepared, the League Elite Four wouldn't be as difficult to defeat.

"I'm sorry, but you won't have a chance to battle against her at all," Will said, removing his goggles. "She will fall to my team."

Karen lifted a brow. "You're a psychic-Master, Will. Haven't you already looked into the future and seen your victory?"

He shook his head. "I don't want to know the outcome of the match before it's already begun – that will ruin the suspense."

She shrugged. "I suppose… I wish I was battling first, but Lance put me last." She shot him a mocking glare. "Why is that? Did you want to keep me close?" she teased, winking.

"You know why you're fourth, Karen," Lance began, "You defeated the other three hence why you're last," he added, in a drawl. Every year the Elite Four would battle amongst each other to determine the battle order. It wasn't just a case of drawing straws and picking the order at random.

"I hope she makes it to me. Arceus knows I need a good challenge," she replied, hands resting on her hips. "The last good challenge I had been against your irritating cousin, Clair and that battle had taken place a few years ago. I hope the heroine proves to be a tougher challenge."

"Her name is Lyra," Lance said.

Koga lifted a brow. "Does it matter what her name is? Once she's beaten she'll no longer exist. I'm not going to waste time having a rematch with a trainer that has lost."

Lance felt a stab of irritation upon hearing Koga's words. _Why had I chosen to recruit this guy again?_ He thought. The original Elite Four had consisted of Lorelei, Bruno, Agatha and himself, but two had retired. Agatha had retired due to old age and Lorelei had returned to the Sevii islands, having lost interest in the Elite Four. It was Bruno who had located Will, Karen and Koga, and recommended them to Lance.

"My daughter Janine will be watching this match from home – I'm not going to let her down," Koga continued.

"Your daughter is a gym leader, Koga. I'm sure she can handle watching a loss," Lance pointed out.

Koga grumbled in response, but didn't bother arguing back. Instead, he changed the topic. "All the journalists are sitting in the lounge. The cameras will start to roll as soon as Lyra enters the building. Every action will be caught on camera so the fans at home can witness the true power of the league."

Bruno gave Koga a sideways glance. "Please don't poison her every Pokemon. I want to destroy her with my team on my own."

"It's called strategy, Bruno. I may not have the power you possess, but I can bring your Pokemon to a fainting state with one attack. Confusion, sleep and poison - that is the best way to win."

"And the most cowardly way to pull out a victory," Bruno replied. "I prefer to hit them hard and fast. I don't like playing around like you and Will." Will grumbled and Koga turned away.

Karen stepped in between the two trainers, raising her hands. "This is no time for a macho-showdown." She turned to face Lance. "You've gone awfully quiet. Don't tell me you're actually worried about the battle. She was lucky to get past Clair, but that doesn't mean she'll get past your team."

"I'm _not_ worried," Lance replied tersely, arms folded. "We shouldn't underestimate Lyra. She's proven she can handle anything."

"You speak as if you know her on a personal level," Karen said, tilting her head sideways. "Is that why you've hardly been here at the league? Have you been following this girl around the region?" She gave him a wicked smile. "Has the great and mighty _Lance_ been tamed by some girl?"

Koga, Will and Bruno turned to look at him, intrigued expressions on their faces. "Lyra defeated Team Rocket, a feat none of us have achieved. She conquered Johto and we know that is not an easy task." He almost mentioned Lyra had captured a Red Gyarados and obtained a Shiny Dratini from his own grandfather, but stopped himself in time. Bringing that fact up would just raise more questions, none of which he felt comfortable answering. "I'll see you after the battles are over." Before they could ask any more questions, he turned around and headed towards the Champion room.

.

While Will, Koga and Bruno took their respective places, Karen decided to seek out Lance. She left her own dark chambers and headed towards the Champion throne room where Lance where was sitting on the iron throne, a pensive expression on his face.

"You look troubled," Karen said, gliding up towards his seat.

He glanced up, surprised. "Karen. Shouldn't you be making your final preparations for the battle? This is going to be the toughest battle of your career."

"I'm more worried about you," she said, standing next to him. "If I lose my match, nothing happens. But if you lose, you are no longer the Champion and that means you have to leave the league. What are you going to do if that happens? I know you well enough you will not return to a professional trainer career again."

He sighed. "I don't know. I haven't thought about it." His grandfather would expect him to take over watching over the sacred Dragon Den of Blackthorn. Stepping up to the role meant accepting new responsibilities – he'd be a mentor to aspiring dragon masters and he would be required to spend a great deal of time within the city. "I suppose I'd look after the Dragon Den," he added.

Karen looked at him sympathetically. Just like she had expected. But losing his title didn't seem to be too much of a concern to him – he seemed to be distracted, like his thoughts were somewhere else… Or with someone else. She decided to question him further. "You might have fooled the other three boys into thinking you will handle this, but I can see right past that tough exterior you put on, Lance. You've spent a lot of time away from the league… more time than usual. It has something to do with Lyra, doesn't it?" she questioned. The Champion did seem rather defensive of her earlier. He lifted his gaze upon hearing her name, fixing dark eyes on her face.

She knew Lance well enough he didn't chase after _anyone_ unless they had captured his interest. So many girls around the region sent him emails and letters, and he never responded to any. Heck, even she had tried flirting with him when she was first introduced to the league, but he never bothered to return her affections. She gave up on him after that. But Lyra had somehow managed to break through.

There was a brief moment of silence until Lance spoke up. "I'm not worried about losing, Karen. I was never going to hold this position forever."

"Then what are you worried about? What happens afterwards with Lyra?"

He shook his head. "What if Lyra chooses to follow Red's path and abandons the post of Champion? She'll leave forever and no one will be able to find her. Everything she's achieved so far… it's as if she was meant to follow in Red's footsteps."

"You don't know for sure if she will leave," Karen said, trying to add some words of comfort. She barely knew much about Lyra, but if she was important to Lance, then she wanted to help him in any way possible. Seeing Lance looking lost was unsettling. "She might choose to stay."

Another moment of silence. "You should start making final preparations. Knowing Lyra, I'm sure it won't take her too long to make it through Victory Road."

End of discussion. Karen knew she wasn't going to get another word out of him. Whenever he changed the topic like that, it meant no more talking. She gave him one last sympathetic look then returned to her post. Karen didn't know the details how Lance met Lyra and she wasn't going to pry, but what she did know (or at least assumed) something had gone wrong. Had they had an argument?

She tightened her jaw. No one made a fool of the Champion. If Lyra wanted to claim the title, she had to get past Karen first, and that wasn't going to happen, not without a fight at least.

.

For the past few days, Clair had found a temporary home within the Olivine's lighthouse. Jasmine had offered her fellow gym leader a place to sleep in the gym, but Clair insisted she wanted to be alone. Fortunately, the lighthouse was closed to the public – Jasmine had made up an excuse the building needed repairing after the event with Team Rocket.

She rested her arms on the rails of the lighthouse, gazing out at the sea before her. The waters were calm, which made the ocean look rather inviting. Perhaps she'd head down to the beach later on in the day to ease the thoughts that plagued her mind. Right now Lance was probably facing off against Lyra for the title. She hoped he'd lose.

"Clair, you know you can't stay here forever. This is not your home," a gentle voice said, startling Clair from her thoughts. She spun around and spotted Jasmine standing next to her. How long had she been standing there for?

"Blackthorn is dead to me. Lance doesn't want me back."

"Lance didn't mean those words. He's not thinking clearly."

Clair glared. "I don't see why you're defending him. He's a jerk and I hope he loses badly."

"I know you don't mean that, Clair. He's your cousin, and I know how much you look up to him."

"Then why won't he listen to me? He treats me like I'm something foul!" Clair spat. "He cares more about Lyra than me! I've always been there to support him and now he just throws me aside for some girl! Lyra's ruined everything! I wish she had never been born!" She added, her voice beginning to tremble. She curled her fingers around the railing. "She's not special. She's _nothing."_

Jasmine placed a comforting hand on Clair's shoulder. "Lance loves you, Clair, in the way only family can. That bond can never be broken – you may push him aside, blame him for everything, but he'll always be your family, Clair. Don't cut him off or you will regret it."

Clair's posture relaxed. "Then what am I supposed to do? Go back to him and apologize?" She snorted derisively. "He probably wants nothing to do with me."

"You know that isn't true."

Clair wiped her eyes with the back of her hands. "I told him that he didn't deserve to be happy and that I hated him."

"You were angry. Anyone would've said the same in your position, but he'll forgive you. He's always forgiven you, Clair and this will be no different." Jasmine handed Clair a tissue box. "He will never love you in the same way he does Lyra, but you will always be a part of his life. Clean yourself up, and return to your home, okay?" She gave Clair a hug which surprised the girl since she wasn't accustomed to receiving gestures of kindness, but after a few moments, she returned the hug. "If you ever need to talk, you know where to find me." Clair nodded.

Clair dabbed at her eyes with a tissue and placed it under her arm. "I don't know how you put up with me."

"You are too hard on yourself, Clair." She smiled. "Falkner is waiting for you outside the Pokemon Centre. He'll fly you home." Clair nodded again, dabbing her eyes with another tissue. If she left now she'd reach Blackthorn just in time for the battle to be over. She made her over to the Pokemon Centre where Falkner waited with his Pidgeot and Pidgeotto.

He greeted her with a nod. "Hey there, Clair. You ready?"

"As ready as I'll ever be."

"I suppose you'll want to ride the Pidgeot?"

Normally, she'd receive a lift on Falkner's strongest Pokemon, but not today. She looked at the Pidgeotto instead. "No. I'll take the Pidgeotto." Falkner lifted his eyebrows, seemingly surprised, but said nothing. If she was going to make some changes in her life, it was best to start now. Improving her relationships with the other gym leaders was a good place to start. She climbed onto the back of the Pidgeotto, wrapping her arms around the bird's neck, as Falkner whistled, signalling the birds to fly.

.

Stepping inside the first room felt like entering a new gym. Like the gyms around Johto, the room was themed. The walls were purple, the floor was purple and even the ceiling was purple. They were different shades of purple though, with the walls being the darkest, and the ceiling being the lightest. The floor was made up of tiles which varied in different shades. It made her head spin just by looking at it all, as if the room had been designed to confuse opponents.

In the centre of the room there was a man with longish purple hair. He was dressed in formal attire, and wore a mask that covered his eyes. She was reminded of an older version of Bugsy. She approached him. "Welcome to the Pokemon League, Lyra!" He bowed respectfully then spoke again. "Allow me to introduce myself. I am Will. I have trained all around the world, making my Psychic-type Pokemon powerful. And, at last, I've been accepted into the Elite Four. I can only keep getting better! Losing is not an option!"

Lyra drew in a deep breath. Let the games begin, she thought. Will summoned a condor-like avian that appeared to be wearing a dress. Upon closer inspection, Lyra realized the dress was actually the bird's wings.

 _Xatu. The evolved form of Natu. They say that it stays still and quiet because it is seeing both the past and future at the same time._

She summoned her Arcanine. "Arcanine, use Crunch!"

"Xatu, use Psychic!" Arcanine was struck by a large beam of purple, but the canine easily recovered. He retaliated by pouncing onto the avian, sinking his powerful jaws into the bird's skin. Xatu let out a high-pitch squawk and stretched its wings to the side. "Use, U-Turn, Xatu!" Xatu returned to its pokeball and was replaced by another Xatu.

"Arcanine, keep using Crunch!" Arcanine jumped forward, and clamped its jaws around the bird's neck. Xatu screamed.

"Use Psychic!"

Another Crunch and the bird ought to fall, Lyra thought. Being a few levels above certainly was helping her greatly otherwise her Pokemon would've fainted by now. "Crunch, Arcanine! Bring that Xatu down!"

Xatu's Psychic attack hit hard again, but fortunately Arcanine managed to bring the bird down before it could. Will snorted, and summoned his first Xatu again. "You've come prepared then. No matter, I have battled against higher levelled-trainers before and still managed to win. You will be no different. Xatu, use Psychic!"

Arcanine was struck below the chin this time. She swayed from side to side, severely weakened by that attack. Lyra rushed over and gave her loyal hound one of many Hyper Potions as Will did the same. "Use Crunch!" Arcanine pounced again, this time with more power than before. She bit down hard, Lyra swore she almost heard bones shattering. A critical hit. Will's first Xatu had fainted as well. Three left to fight.

Will summoned his third Pokemon, a Jynx. Lyra had never thought she'd see one of those nasty things again. Fortunately she had the right weapon to counter it with. "Arcanine, use Fire Blast!" A mighty blast of fire hit the Jynx hard, knocking it over. Flames danced over the Pokemon's body, turning it black. Jynx fainted.

"Lance was right about you… you are strong." He wiped his forehead. "Exeggutor!" A palm tree-like Pokemon with three yellow, oval shaped heads emerged. "Hypnosis!"

Arcanine was sent to sleep. Lyra cursed. That changed her chances of a quick victory much harder. It was tempting to use a Full Restore now, but perhaps Arcanine would awaken on the next turn if luck was smiling on her. "Psychic!" Will said.

The beam did almost enough damage to cause her Arcanine to faint. Now was the time to use a Full Restore. Arcanine awakened, fully healed. "Finish that tree off with Flamethrower!" Flames engulfed the leaves on the Pokemon's head, prompting the tree to run around in circles, to try and put out the flames, but the damage had been done. The palm tree fainted.

"We Psychics don't give up even when we're down to the last Pokemon. That's what makes us so formidable." He brought out his final Pokemon, a Slowbro. Lyra swapped out her Arcanine for Espeon.

"Espeon, use Shadow Claw!"

"Slowbro, use Curse!"

Espeon pounced and Slowbro took severe damage, but its defences were hard to penetrate. It hardened its armour, making it that much harder it hit with physical based attacks. Fortunately, Shadow Claw wasn't a physical attack. "Keep using Shadow Claw, Espeon!" Espeon jumped forward, swatting at the bulky Slowbro again with a shadowy claw. Slowbro emitted a mournful noise. The same process of Curse-Shadow Claw repeated for several turns, until both Pokemon looked to be on the brink of fainting.

"Slowbro, use Curse!"

Not again, Lyra thought. "Shadow Claw!" Again, Espeon attacked, managing to land a critical hit. The Slowbro fainted.

"I… I can't… believe it…" he muttered, returning Slowbro back to his ball. There was silence until he spoke again. "Even though I was defeated, I won't change my course. I will continue battling until I stand above all trainers! Now, Lyra, move on and experience the true ferocity of the Elite Four." The doors behind him magically opened.

Lyra headed into the next room. This room was also themed, designed to look like a spooky forest. Poisonous vines wrapped around the trunks of the trees surrounding her. She shuddered. It was like being back in Ecruteak Gym again with the creepy atmosphere. An older looking man with a stern gaze stood in the centre of the room, red cape flowing behind him. He was dressed in black robes which seemed suitable for a ninja.

He laughed as soon as he noticed her. "I am Koga of the Elite Four. I live in shadows – a ninja! My intricate style will confound and destroy you! Confusion, sleep, poison… Prepare to be the victim of my sinister techniques!" He cackled again. "Pokemon are not merely about brute force – you shall see soon enough!"

Confusion, sleep and poison. A dangerous combination. Lyra knew this was going to be a rather annoying battle. It was best to hit him hard as quick as possible before he could do some serious damage to her team. She sent out Arcanine to start the battle. Koga sent out a large patterned insect.

 _Ariados. The evolved form of Spinarak. It spins string not only from its rear but also from its mouth. It is hard to tell which end is which._

Bug-type Pokemon were fried easily by fire. This ought to be a simple battle, she thought. "Arcanine, use Flamethrower!" Flames danced around the bug, encasing it with flame. The bug screeched, waving its mandibles in the air, as it quickly burned. Ariados fainted. Koga just grinned, not at all worried.

He summoned his next Pokemon, a round purple Pokemon with a rough outer shell consisting of steel plates.

 _Forretress. The evolved form of Pineco. Its entire body is shielded by a steel-hard shell. What lurks inside the armour is a total mystery._

Steel-type. Bug-type. Another Pokemon that quickly fell to fire. "Okay, Arcanine, roast that bug with Fire Blast!" Despite Its immense defense, the Pokemon had a severe weakness to fire. It was quickly downed within seconds.

"That was merely a warm up. I know what you are capable of now. Your next challenge won't be as easy. Muk!" A large ball of living purple sludge with an equally large mouth appeared. As soon as the creature emerged, Lyra nostrils were filled with a smell that was far worse than rotten eggs. It was indescribable. Her stomach twisted and turned then did a backflip as the stench worsened.

 _Muk The evolved form of Grimer. They love to gather in smelly areas where sludge accumulates, making the stench around them worse._

"Oh… that is foul," Lyra mumbled. Arcanine turned to look at her with an equally sick expression. It had to be far worse for Arcanine for the dog had superior senses to a human. Arcanine looked ready to faint.

Koga smirked. "Muk, use Minimize!" Muk somehow made itself look smaller.

Lyra brought a hand to her nose, holding it together with a finger and a thumb. That stench… terrible. "Okay Arcanine, use Flamethrower!" Arcanine launched a powerful burst of fire, but the attack seemed to be absorbed by the Muk's slimy body.

"Now Muk, use Gunk Shot!" A disgusting ball of black sludge hit Arcanine, covering it in sticky liquid. Arcanine fell onto her side, struggling to remove the grotesque stuff of her fur. Muk moved forward slowly, and covered the Arcanine with its body, smothering it until Arcanine fainted. _What the?_ Lyra thought.

She recalled her Arcanine and brought out Espeon. "Espeon, use Psychic!"

Muk avoided the attack. "Muk, use Minimize!" Muk decreased its size again, but it was still rather large, reaching up to Lyra's shoulder.

"Espeon, use Psychic!" Espeon released a beam, but the attack failed to hit its target. The slow and cumbersome Muk had avoided it thanks to its Minimize move.

"Muk, activate your Black Sludge ability now!" Muk murmured. Its body changed from purple to black.

"What does that do?"

"Muk will recover a small percent of its health at the end of each turn, he explained, smirking. "There's no way you can defeat me now."

Will was right. The true ferocity of the Elite Four was starting to show. No wonder they were chosen to represent the nation at the league. With strategic moves like that, winning was extremely difficult even if she was a few levels stronger. "Espeon, use Psybeam!" Espeon attacked again, but like before she missed her target.

"Muk, use Gunk Shot!" The black sludge struck Espeon, and the feline fainted. Lyra's eyes widened. Koga laughed. "Everyone around the region is going to watch you lose to me! How does that feel?"

Right. She had almost forgotten every single resident in Johto and Kanto was watching. She wouldn't be surprised if people living in other regions were watching her battle as well. Her friends, her family… she was not going to let them down, not without a fight. She summoned her Gabite to the field. "Gabite, use Earthquake!" Gabite slammed his tail on the ground, creating a crack. The room shook violently, knocking both trainers off balance. Muk howled.

Unfortunately, Muk was still alive. Koga rushed over and gave his beloved Pokemon a Hyper Potion. "Muk, use Minimize!" Muk decreased in size again, now falling down to Lyra's waist.

"Gabite, use Earthquake again!" Muk managed to avoid the blow, recovering some health in the process. Lyra wanted to rip her eyes out. Damn that Muk.

"Muk, use Toxic!" A nasty wave of purple sludge landed on Gabite's head. Gabite cringed, glowing purple. Poisoned… badly. He looked at Lyra pleadingly. Lyra searched through her bag for an Antidote. Fortunately, she had a few left. She used one of them now, restoring Gabite's health however in doing so, she sacrificed a turn. Muk recovered some health again and aimed a Gunk Shot. Gabite took a lot of damage but remained standing.

"All I need is one lucky shot," Lyra pleaded in a voice barely above a whisper. "Gabite, use Earthquake!" Gabite slammed his tail on the ground for a third time and thankfully managed to split the ground beneath Muk's body. Muk fainted. _What a relief,_ she thought.

Koga's amused grin had faded, replaced by a thin line of determination. "I have to admit, you're better than I expected. But I'm still in this battle. Venomoth!" A flying purple moth Pokemon appeared. Another Bug-type Pokemon.

 _Venomoth. The evolved form of Venonat. When it attacks, it flaps its large wings violently to scatter its poisonous power all around._

Time to revive Arcanine. She revived her canine, sacrificing a turn.

"Venomoth, use Psychic!"

Gabite took the attack, hanging onto a conscious state by a thread. Lyra recalled him and brought out Arcanine again. Venomoth used Supersonic this time, but fortunately missed. "Arcanine, roast that moth's wings off! Use Flamethrower!" Arcanine happily obliged and scorched the moth. Venomoth fainted. _One more Pokemon left,_ Lyra thought. _It better not be a Weezing with Explosion._

"Crobat!"

A purple bat with four wings appeared, hovering above both trainers. Lyra didn't need to refer to her pokedex for this one. Crobat, the evolved form of Golbat known for its amazing speed. She revived her Espeon this time.

"Crobat, use Quick Attack!" Crobat dashed forward, striking Arcanine on the head. Arcanine yelped, jumping backwards. Lyra recalled the canine back and brought out her newly-revived Espeon to take the battle stage.

"Espeon, use Psychic!"

"Crobat, use Poison Fang!"

Crobat attacked first, but managed to do little damage. Espeon retaliated with a mighty beam, of Psychic, bringing the speedy bat to the ground. Koga's jaw dropped open. "Ah, you've proven your worth. I subjected you to everything I could muster, but my efforts failed. I must hone my skills. Go on to the next room, and put your abilities to the test!"

Lyra was thankful to leave the room, but before she did, she restored her Gabite, Arcanine and Espeon to full health. She entered the next room and was blasted by a wave of scorching heat. This room was built upon a pit of lava, and standing in the middle was a rather muscular guy, with long black hair.

"I am Bruno of the Elite Four. I always train to the extreme because I believe in our potential. That is how we became strong. Can you withstand our power? Hm? I see no fear in you. You look determined, perfect for battle! Ready, Lyra? You will bow down to our overwhelming power!" He kicked out at the air. "Hoo hah!"

"This is your battle, Espeon." She summoned her feline again. Bruno threw out his first pokeball, bringing out a Hitmonchop. Although it looked speedy, Lyra knew from battling against Chuck, fighting-types weren't that fast. "Espeon, destroy him with Psychic!" Espeon launched its magical beam silencing the Hitmonchop immediately.

Bruno summoned his next Pokemon, a Hitmonlee. This battle strongly reminded her of the one against Chuck and she knew her Espeon would wipe the floor with this guy. She used Psychic again, bringing the opponent down within seconds. Bruno brought out his third, a Hitmonchan. Lyra used Psychic again. Hitmonchan fainted. He brought out his forth one which just happened to be an Onix for some much needed variety.

She withdrew Espeon, summoning Gabite to the battlefield. Gabite seemed eager to battle again, being more twitchy than usual. "Onix, use Earthquake!" Bruno yelled. The entire room shook.

Gabite and Lyra were thrown off balance. Lyra hit the ground hard, cringing. She picked herself back up again, rubbing her head. Gabite fared better though being half-ground type. "Gabite, use Earthquake!" Onix crumbled to the ground, eyes crossed. One Pokemon left. She figured he would use another pure fighting-type so she brought out Espeon again.

"Go Machamp!" Bruno's final Pokemon was truly intimidating to look at. It looked like a Machoke, only it had four bulging arms instead of two. "Use Cross Chop!" The bulky opponent jumped forward, and hit Espeon with all four arms. Espeon yowled, wincing with each strike. However, the feline had managed to endure the attack.

"Espeon! Use Psychic!" Lyra was well aware Espeon was running out of energy to continue using Psychic so she hoped Machamp would be brought down soon. Machamp grabbed at the air, bellowing as the beam struck its chest, toppling him backwards. Although taking a lot of damage, the Machamp was sturdy enough to survive.

"Use Cross Chop!"

Espeon was hit again. The feline picked herself up, supported by wobbly legs. "Just one more attack, Espeon! Use Psychic!"

"Not so fast." Bruno moved forward to heal his Machamp with a Full Restore. Lyra cursed. The beam hit the fully healed Machamp, bringing it almost to a fainting state. "Machamp, use Rock Slide!" A landslide fell from the ceiling, landing on Espeon's head. Espeon was knocked unconscious, falling helplessly onto her side.

"It's up to you now, go Staraptor!" She threw out the avian's pokeball, hoping her trusty partner would win her the match. "Staraptor, use Aerial Ace!" Thankfully, her bird was quicker and hit the bulky beast with a well-aimed strike of her wing. The Pokemon dropped to his knees and fell forward, causing the ground to tremble slightly as it landed.

"Why?! … How could we lose?" He kicked the ground, spitting. "You remind me of Red. He defeated me many long years ago. But I shouldn't anything more. Go face your next challenge!" The doors behind him opened. Lyra headed into the next room to face the final member of the Elite Four, Karen.

The walls, the floor, the ceiling all made to look like she was in the night sky. The only sources of light came from the sparkling stars from the ceiling. A lady with long silvery-blue hair stood in the centre of the room, dressed in rather simple garments. "It's about time you reached me, Lyra. I was getting rather impatient. I am Karen of the Elite Four. I love dark-type Pokemon. I'm known for my overpowering tactics. Think you can take them? Just try to entertain me. Let's go."

Dark-type Pokemon. Lyra realized she didn't have a Pokemon that could effectively take on dark-types. All she had was a Staraptor that knew Close Combat. Would it be enough to defeat her? Lyra summoned Staraptor to the field as Karen brought out an Umbreon. "Staraptor, use Close Combat!" Staraptor gained altitude, tucked in her wings then hurtled towards the Umbreon. She slammed into the Umbreon's side inflicting serious damage. The move did enough damage to cause the Umbreon to faint.

"Not bad, I think I'm beginning to see just why the Champion is so infatuated with you."

Lyra's heart skipped a beat. Karen had been talking to Lance about her? And what did she mean by 'so infatuated by you'? There was no time for questions though because Karen had summoned her second Pokemon, a Vileplume. It looked like a mushroom with red patterned flowers on its head.

"Staraptor, use Fly!" Staraptor climbed as high as the ceiling would allow it to, and waited for the perfect moment to strike. Karen ordered her Vileplume to use Stun Spore but Staraptor was out of reach. "Now, Staraptor, dive!" Staraptor swooped, tearing at the Vileplume's petal head with its sharp piercing beak. Vileplume shook, emitting a weird smelling odour, but Staraptor managed to avoid it.

"Vileplume, use Acid!"

A blob of purple liquid squirted out from the centre of its flower head, hitting the Staraptor's feathered belly. The avian squawked, and shook herself trying to remove the acid. She glowed purple. Poisoned. "Staraptor, use Aerial Ace!" Staraptor swooped again, slashing at the grass-type Pokemon with a single wing, causing the Pokemon to faint. Two down and only five to go.

"I told him I didn't believe we were going to lose… but you're proving me wrong. You may just actually win this thing… but not today. Houndoom!" she said, throwing out another pokeball. The black canine appeared, baring its teeth at Lyra's bird. "Houndoom, use Nasty Plot!" The canine growled, moving its tail back and forth. It seemed to grow stronger, although Lyra couldn't see how.

"Staraptor, use Close Combat!"

Staraptor hurtled to the ground again, throwing herself at Houndoom with full force. The canine howled, but managed to recover, thanks to a Sitrus Berry. "Counter-attack! Use Flamethrower!" Staraptor was engulfed with flame, and plummeted to the ground, her feathers singed. She hit the ground hard and lay there, unmoving.

"Arceus' breath," Lyra cursed. She summoned her Arcanine.

"Use Nasty Plot, Houndoom!" Whatever that move did, it made Houndoom's attacks twice as strong. She needed a hard and fast hitting super-effective move to win this match, but what could possibly be strong enough to endure that? "Use Dark Pulse!" A wave of dark energy hit the Arcanine, causing her to faint immediately. Another Pokemon down with one hit. Things were not looking good for her at the moment.

She summoned Toto, hoping the Pokemon's bulky stature would help it endure at least one attack. "Come on, Toto… we can do this."

"Dark Pulse!" Another wave of dark energy and another fainted Pokemon. Her hopes now rested on Shelgon and Gabite. She brought Gabite to the field. "Use Dark Pulse!"

"Gabite, use Earthquake!" By some miracle, Gabite was able to attack quicker. He slammed his tail, splitting the ground open right beneath Houndoom's feet. Rocks flew up, sending the dog flying through the air. The room stopped shaking, and Houndoom lay motionless on the ground. Lyra breathed a sigh of relief. "That was too close."

Karen seemed surprised. "Huh… would you look at that." She summoned another Pokemon, a tiny black raven with a bright yellow beak. Murkrow. "Murkrow, use Sucker Punch!" The bird dashed forward, headbutting Gabite. Gabite hardly flinched.

"Use Dragon Claw!" Gabite lashed out, clawing the Murkrow making the little raven like Pokemon faint. A baby Pokemon had no chance in finding success in this challenge. One more to go. Who would it be?

"Gengar!"

 _Oh no,_ Lyra thought. She remembered the battle she had with Morty many years ago. Would Karen's Gengar use similar type moves? To combat the Gengar, Lyra withdrew Gabite, and pulled out Espeon.

"Gengar, use Focus Blast!"

The move hit Espeon, but did little damage. "Espeon, use Psychic!" The beam hit the Gengar directly in its chest, causing it to faint. Ghost-type Pokemon didn't seem so tough now when up against an Espeon.

"Well, aren't you good. I like that in a trainer," Karen complimented, running a hand through her silvery-blue locks. "Strong Pokemon. Weak Pokemon. That is only the selfish perception of people. Truly skilled trainers should try to win with the Pokemon they love best. I like your style. You understand what's important. I can understand how you've made it this far now. Go on to the next room, the Champion is waiting." The doors opened. "I'm sure he'll be thrilled to see you again," Karen added, with a wink.

Lyra turned her gaze to the doors feeling a bubble of nerves rise up within. Why did she have to get nervous now when she was about to face her toughest opponent ever? She took in a deep breath, trying to calm herself. _Don't panic,_ she told herself. It's just Lance waiting in the next room. That did little to quell her nerves. It wasn't the thought of battling him that unsettled her - it was simply having to face him again after their last conversation that threw her off her game. How would he react?


	28. Divine Destiny

Guess I should update this, huh? Thanks to Tgonthefiery and mirrorkinomoto for reviewing the previous chapter. Also, thanks to PKMNfanSakura for reviewing an earlier chapter.

 **.**

 **Chapter Twenty Seven: Divine Destiny**

The path way to the Champion's room was a long one. Before commencing on the walk, she revived and healed her Pokemon to full health. By this point, she had almost used up her revives and was close to running out of hyper potions. She hoped she had enough strength remaining to defeat Lance otherwise she'd have to redo the entire challenge again and become the laughing stock of the region.

Once her Pokemon were restored, she started walking along the orange path, taking note of the surrounding frames hanging on both sides of the wall. There were a number of trainers who had their portraits on their wall: some she didn't recognize, and others she knew quite well having just defeated them. But what caught her attention was the portrait of Red.

She walked up to it, reading the tagline underneath. "Red. Former Champion of Kanto. Currently holds the record of the shortest Champion reign ever. Will be forever remembered as the first trainer to maximise bond with Pokemon. Current whereabouts are unknown," she read aloud. Red. The legendary trainer of Kanto, the one trainer she was always being compared to. "Where are you hiding, Red?" she asked, studying the portrait.

The boy's eyes were covered by the front of his hat. Camera-shy? She pulled her gaze away and continued walking along the colourful path. It was then she spotted the cameras watching her from all corners of the hall. Her every move was being watched by every single person in Johto and Kanto. It was flattering, yet nerve wrecking at the same time.

Eventually, she reached the final room. Double red doors waited for her. She walked up, placed two hands on the door and pushed it open then stepped inside. Unlike the other rooms, this one wasn't designed to represent a certain theme. However, it was still spectacular and had a real royal feel to it. The carpet was red, and the throne itself made out of iron. Golden chandeliers hung from the ceiling and glass stained windows surrounded her, each with an image of a legendary Pokemon.

And in the middle of the room stood Lance. He really looked like a Champion now with all the fancy decorations around him. All he needed was a crown and he'd look like a king. She felt her heart flutter. He turned his gaze on her now, expression unreadable. "Lyra, I've been waiting for you. I knew that you, with your skills, would eventually reach me here. There's no need for words now. We will battle to determine who is the stronger of the two of us. As the most powerful trainer and as the Pokemon League Champion… I, Lance the dragon master, accept your challenge."

That introduction felt like a pre-planned script. She felt a little disheartened by it; she had at least expected a warmer greeting considering their history. But then she reminded herself the cameras were rolling and Lance was expected to act a certain way. Showing signs he knew her quite well wouldn't be a good look.

Lyra looked down at her pokeballs. "All right team… it comes down to this. Every battle we have fought… has brought us to this moment. I believe in each and every one of you," she said, whispering so Lance couldn't hear her. "We've come this far… there's no way I'm going to go down." She looked up, stepping forward to take her position across from him.

He started things off by summoning a Gyarados to the field and Lyra was immediately reminded of the events that transpired at the Lake of Rage and Team Rocket headquarters. It was a time when she had gotten to know him quite well for who he was, rather than for what he was. "A Gyarados."

"Yeah, a Gyarados," he replied curtly.

She didn't have any Pokemon with an electrical attack equipped, but hopefully she could rely on special attacks to bring him down. She summoned Espeon, hoping Lance's Gyarados didn't know any moves super-effective against it. "Espeon, use Psychic!" That was the last Psychic Espeon had left. She hoped it would land a hit. It did, but Gyarados didn't seem majorly effected by it.

"Gyarados, use Dragon Pulse!" A powerful draconic wave of energy left the Gyarados' mouth, speeding towards Lyra's Espeon. Espeon was struck hard, throwing the feline several feet up into the air. She came back to the ground, landing on all fours. "Come on, Lyra, I know you are better than this. Don't hold anything back."

Lyra gritted her teeth. "I'm trying." Now she had wished she had brought along her own Gyarados. "Espeon, use Future Sight!" With no Psychics left in the tank, Lyra had to rely on sneaky attacks instead. Espeon closed her eyes, developed a pink glow then reopened them again as the glow faded. Gyarados flinched.

"Is that it?" he replied, eyebrow raised. "I expected more from you."

She was becoming increasingly agitated by his attitude. It was like he was purposely trying to push her just to… what? Get back at her for hurting him earlier back in Blackthorn? He didn't seem like the vengeful type, but then again he didn't seem like the type of trainer to force a Pokemon to evolve either. "What are you playing at? Are you trying to anger me?"

He shook his head. "This is a battle, Lyra. Everyone expects to see a battle between the Champion and the challenger. They are not paying good money to witness an experienced trainer play like a rookie."

Had he just compared her to a rookie trainer? Rage coursed through her veins at the insult. "I can't believe you! You're comparing me to a rookie? I may not have been a trainer for as long as you have, but you don't have to be so mean about it." Karen had said Lance was infatuated with her… the way he was acting now seemed like anything but that.

"Gyarados, use Dragon Pulse!"

"Espeon, dodge it now and counter with Psybeam!" The two energy beams collided. It was now a matter of who was stronger. Gyarados' weren't particularly known for their high levels of special attack, so it didn't take long for Espeon to gain the upperhand. "I don't know what's going on with you, but this isn't… you!" she blurted out, feeling slightly idiotic as she remembered this was being filmed. Great, now everyone would think she was some trainer with a massive crush on Lance. Which wasn't true at all… okay, maybe it was, but she was not going to lower herself to the level of his brain dead fangirls.

He narrowed his eyes. "You claim to know me well?"

She nodded. "We fought alongside each other at the Team Rocket base! You went out of your way to look after me after the trouble at the Lake of Rage! You even paid me a visit after I defeated Team Rocket when you didn't have to! Are you telling me none of that means anything at all?" she said, voice raising an octave. She no longer cared if people were watching her. Let them think what they like. He was silent. "Well, doesn't it?!"

The silence was painful. Had he been trying hard to push those memories out of his mind? Gyarados lunged forward, trying to sink its cold fangs into Espeon's skin. Espeon nimbly leapt out of the way, and ran circles around the Gyarados, trying to confuse it. Lance ran a hand through his hair, looking rather irritated, not at Lyra but at himself. "Damn it Lyra, you put me in a difficult position." He sighed. "I haven't forgotten… and even if I could, I wouldn't want to. You made me realize something that day, and it's taken me quite some time to truly understand it. I can't…" he trailed off. "We need to finish this battle. Gyarados, use Dragon Pulse!"

"Espeon, use Shadow Claw!" Gyarados launched another wave of draconic energy, and Espeon avoided it, by climbing up the Pokemon's back. She slashed at the Pokemon's face then jumped off landing on all fours. At the same time, Future Sight struck the Gyarados, bringing the monstrous beast to the ground.

Both Lance and Lyra seemed surprised at the Gyarados' sudden fainting, but then she realized they had been too busy talking to pay much attention to the battle. Espeon was exhausted now. Lyra did what was best for her Pokemon and recalled it, summoning her Toto to the field instead. The reptile was very eager to battle since this was his first time battling in the league.

Lance summoned the first of his impressive three Dragonites. "Dragonite, use Thunder!" A tremendous bolt of lightning smashed through the ceiling, plummeting towards Toto's position. The crocodile couldn't avoid it and was struck severely. Feraligatr collapsed on the ground, but he was still able to move. "What…" Lance murmured.

Lyra too was pleasantly surprised. Electrical attacks did immense damage against Water-types, so how did Toto endure that attack? Had her bond with her Pokemon provided the crocodile with additional strength? "Toto, use Avalanche!" Feraligatr roared at the sky above. Snow fell from the gathering clouds, crashing down onto the roof. Eventually, enough snow landed to cause the ceiling to cave in, causing all the snow to land on the Dragonite, inflicting a severe amount of damage.

Dragonite shook off the snow, and climbed to the top, looking rather tired, but still determined. "Dragon Rush!" Dragonite rushed forward, slamming his tail against Toto's face, sending the reptile skywards. Toto landed back on the ground in an unconscious state. Lyra planned to bring him back soon, but right now her primary goal was taking down one of his Dragonites. She brought out her own dragon, Gabite.

"Gabite, use Dragon Claw!"

"Dragon Rush, Dragonite!"

It was a clash of the dragons. Dragonite was stronger, but Gabite was faster and was able to attack quicker. Gabite clawed the Dragonite before the other dragon could counter effectively. Dragonite fainted. Gabite started to glow, his form starting to shake. A light enveloped the Gabite and morphed into a much larger shape then it disappeared as quickly as it had appeared. An older more powerful dragon stood in its place. Garchomp.

"I'm surprised you didn't take the path of a dragon tamer yourself, Lyra. You do look rather good in a dragon master's garbs."

Lyra shrugged, feeling her cheeks redden at the mention of his compliment. "I wanted a bit of a variety on my team."

"Fair enough." He summoned his second Dragonite. "Dragonite, use Dragon Rush!"

"Garchomp, use Dragon Claw!" Garchomp was much faster than Dragonite and was able to land an attack first. The battle seemed a little bit easier now having Garchomp on her team. Although the move dealt a great deal of damage, Dragonite remained standing. He swung his tail, striking Garchomp directly in the gut. Garchomp stumbled backwards, roaring with pain, but still managed to stand on his two feet.

"I'm impressed. Your Pokemon should've fallen by now… but then again… you're no ordinary trainer," Lance commented.

"I've heard that line before," Lyra replied. Lance restored his Dragonite and Lyra took the chance to revive her Toto. She had a feeling she would need his services soon. "Now Garchomp, use Dragon Claw again!" Garchomp rushed forward, and clawing the newly restored Dragonite. Dragonite roared, and fought back, downing Garchomp with another successful Dragon Rush. Garchomp fainted. She summoned Toto again, giving him a hyper potion.

"Dragonite, use Hyper Beam!"

"Toto, now is the time to use Avalanche again!"

Dragonite sent forth a glowing beam. Lyra had gotten quite familiar with that attack as Clair had used it many times over. Toto was struck, but remained on his feet. Dragonite had no choice but to recharge now allowing Toto to hit back twice as hard with a powerful landslide of snow. More snow fell, sliding down the damaged roof, smashing into the Dragonite. Lance's second Dragonite was beaten down. Another Dragonite defeated. One more remained and Lyra suspected it was the same one that followed him around often.

But instead of bringing that Dragonite out though, Lance chose to summon some big flying dragon-looking Pokemon with giant bat-like wings and bone-crushing jaws. Lyra had never seen anything like that before.

 _Aerodactyl. A vicious Pokemon from the distant past, it appears to have flown by spreading its wings and gliding._

"Aerodactyl, use Thunder Fang!" The fossil Pokemon swooped and landed on Feraligatr's head, biting down on the other reptile. The speed at which the Pokemon moved at was incredible – it was almost as fast as Suicine. Electrical currents ran throughout Toto's body, bringing the reptile to a quick defeat.

Lyra cursed inwardly. What next? She had a Shelgon, Espeon, Staraptor and Arcanine left. She was sure the Aerodactyl had moves to counter any type… except for a dragon, of course. She summoned her Shelgon. Instead of issuing an order though, she revived her Garchomp.

"Aerodactyl, use Rock Slide!" Aerodactyl flexed its wings, roared and slammed its tail against the ground. The room shook, and bits and pieces of the ceiling fell towards the ground. Several of pieces struck Shelgon, but fortunately didn't do too much damage. Lyra swapped Shelgon out for Garchomp and healed the dragon. Lance attacked again, using the same move.

Garchomp sliced through bits of rubble with his razor sharp fins, but couldn't get through them all. "Garchomp, use Dragon Claw!" Garchomp leapt into the air, and slashed at the Aerodactyl's belly, prompting the Pokemon to let out a pained roar. The Aerodactyl, although injured, managed to remain in the air, beating its wings to stay aloft.

"Use Crunch!"

"Dragon Claw!"

The two overgrown reptiles collided, claws connecting with sharp teeth. Garchomp slashed at the opponent's eyes as he received a powerful bite around the neck. Aerodactyl slapped Garchomp in the face with its tail, and Garchomp fought back, slashing at its fragile wings. Despite its powerful looking appearance, the Aerodactyl was very fragile. It fell to the ground in a crumpled heap.

Lyra wiped her brow. Two more Pokemon to deal with. A Dragonite and something else. She hoped it wasn't a Kingdra. As she predicated, Lance summoned his final, and most powerful, Dragonite. Dragon showdown once again. "Garchomp, use Dragon Claw!"

"Outrage!"

Garchomp dashed forward, slashing at the Dragonite's vulnerable belly. The Dragonite bellowed, wincing with pain. Unfortunately, for Lyra's sake, he managed to hold on to a conscious state. Damn it, she thought. I was so sure I had that one. Now it was Dragonite's turn to attack. It stretched its wings, lifted its tail and tilted his head forward, as if it was about to take off. Instead of flying though, it remained still emitting a purple glow from its body. The Dragonite started to tremble, the glow turning to a black colour instead.

Both Lyra and Garchomp looked on in awe – the Dragonite looked up, its eyes a bright orange, like a burning flame. It arched his neck back, jumped into air, beating its wings rapidly then dropped to the ground. It landed with such force it caused the entire room to shake. Lyra glanced up, noticing the remaining golden chandeliers were swaying from side to side. Another move and they would smash to the floor… or worse, land on her head.

Dragonite picked itself up from the floor, tilted his head forward again and pinned his wings against his body. It charged forward, ramming into the Garchomp at full force, throwing the sturdy Garchomp through a wall. The room shook again – whatever Outrage did, it made the Dragonite super-strong. One of the golden chandeliers fell. Lyra threw herself out of harm's way, narrowly missing it by a couple of inches. Unfortunately, she landed on her ankle on a bad angle, ankle rolling inward. She yelped. Pain shot through her body.

She winced, tightening her jaw, as she held her injured ankle. The cries of a fainted Garchomp reached her ears. Fighting the pain, Lyra reached for Garchomp's pokeball and threw it out before her. Garchomp returned, and she threw out another ball, Arcanine. She forced herself to sit upright, wincing as another wave of pain coursed throughout her body. "Arcanine, use Crunch!" Arcanine did not move. She looked at her trainer, concerned. "Do it, Arcanine!"

Arcanine sprinted forward, throwing herself onto the raging Dragonite. Dragonite swung its tail, whacking Arcanine square in the face, knocking the canine back several feet. Weakly, Arcanine picked herself up from the ground, standing on shaky legs. While Arcanine dealt with the angered Dragonite, Lyra revived her Toto by forcefully opening the pokeball, and pouring the liquid inside. Her last Revive had gone. It all came down to these last moments.

"Lyra?" Lance sounded worried.

"I'm fine," she replied, almost hissing. She touched her ankle again. Her ankle had swollen. Would she be able to stand? She decided to risk it. A trainer could never show any signs of weakness during a battle, and she'd be damned to show it now in front the Champion himself. Grunting, she picked herself up, almost stumbling over in the process.

Dragonite smashed anything that was standing its path, turning the room into a destruction zone. It stomped around in circles, making the earth shake each time its feet made contact with the ground. Its wings continued to flap, sending dust particles up into the air, creating a haze. Lyra could barely see Lance now. Arcanine yelped as she was smacked in the side by the Dragonite's muscular tail. She tried to stand up again, but failed.

"Go Staraptor!" Lyra threw out her avian Pokemon, after returning her Arcanine back to its ball. Staraptor immediately took to the air and flapped her wings to clear the air.

"Hyper Beam!"

Staraptor was struck with a glowing beam of yellow energy, knocking her out of the air. She fell to the floor, feathers falling all around her. The bird squawked, clawing at the ground then picked herself up. "Staraptor, use Take Down!" She jumped back into the air and dropped towards the Dragonite, throwing her entire weight into the attack. She bounced back upon impact. "Now use Aerial Ace!"

She moved forward, slashing at the Dragonite's eyes with her wings. Dragonite hissed. "Dragonite, use Outrage!" Once again, Dragonite became enshrouded with a purple light which quickly turned black. It dashed forward, ramming its head into Staraptor making the avian faint. Two more Pokemon left.

"It's up to you, Toto," Lyra whispered, hands grasping the pokeball. The ball shook. "I know you can do this. Put down that dragon." She threw the ball out and Toto reappeared, looking more determined than ever. She gave her trusty companion a Hyper Potion and waited for Dragonite to attack again. Dragonite stomped around in circles again, smacking the ground with its tail. The ground shook, and Toto and Lyra shook with it. More pain took hold of her body, but Lyra forced it aside.

Dragonite spotted Toto and charged, driving a stubby arm into the reptile's face. Toto stumbled backwards, but his tail to hold him upright. Lance's final Dragonite continued to throw attacks at random without even having to be issued an order. Sometimes it smashed walls, sometimes it flew around in circles blasting inanimate objects and other times it stood still, roaring at the sky. If wasn't doing one of those things, it was attacking Feraligatr.

"How can I bring you down…" Lyra whispered, panting. During the Dragonite's temper tantrum, the Pokemon was untouchable. No Pokemon could hope to get close enough to land an attack, and even by some miracle it did, its attack did nothing. But there had to be something she could do… Feraligatr was knocked to the side again upon receiving a slap to the face by the Dragonite's tail. As Feraligatr fell to the floor, the Dragonite stumbled backwards.

Wait.

Every time the Dragonite landed an attack it took a few steps back, huffing and puffing, looking a little confused. This moment last only a few seconds though hence why Lyra hadn't noticed it before. The perfect time to attack. The _only_ time to attack. "Toto, use Avalanche! Now before the Dragonite regains its senses!" Gnashing his jaws up at the sky, Feraligatr roared, conjuring one final wave of snow and ice. The wave brought down half the ceiling, falling on top of both Dragonite and Lance, covering them both in a blanket of white.

Lyra hobbled forward, gasping each time she stepped on her injured foot. "Lance!" she called out. She could see Dragonite clearly, its tail was sticking up through the snow, but she couldn't spot the Champion. Calling his name again, she limped forward, desperately trying to catch some sign of him. Had he been knocked out by the wave of snow and ice? Had he been seriously injured? Concerned thoughts raced through her mind.

"Toto, help me find him! He could be hurt!" Lyra ordered. Feraligatr nodded, and began to dig through the snow in search of the Champion. Feraligatr moved piles of snow, flicking it behind him, as he delved further in. He stopped suddenly, and turned to look at Lyra, wagging his tail. Lyra came over as quickly as she could, dropping down besides her loyal companion. Feraligatr had found him, and fortunately he seemed to be all right. "Thank Arceus, you are okay!" Lyra exclaimed, breathing a sigh of relief.

Lance opened his eyes, glancing up at her. "Dragonite used Safeguard at the last moment to protect me from harm."

She extended an arm, offering a hand. He grabbed it and helped himself up to a sitting position then shook his head like a wet dog, to remove the snow in his hair. "Thanks, Lyra." He turned to look over Dragonite, who was still stuck in the snow. The dragon did not move at all. "Seems you took out my last Dragonite." He then noticed the broken cameras nearby and added, "And the cameras as well."

"Sorry," she said sheepishly.

He grinned. "Looks like the fans will miss out on the grand finale."

"What a shame."

"Well, the room might be totalled," he said, noting the destruction around them. "But we still have a battle to finish." He stood up and helped Lyra back up to her feet. "How this battle ends will become a memory between us."

"Better make it a good one then," Lyra teased.

"With you in it, how could it be a bad one?"

That comment caught her by surprise. Had he taken a knock to the head before Dragonite acted? It didn't sound like something he would normally say. "Are you sure you're all right?"

"Better than ever," he replied, eyes lingering on her face. "The cameras aren't rolling anymore… so I can say what I want to say now. But… those words can wait after the battle." He turned to his Dragonite and called it back then threw out his final one. A red draconic creature appeared, with a round yellow belly and flame on its tail, stretching its wings.

 _Charizard. The evolved form of Charmeleon. If Charizard becomes furious, the flame at the tip of its tail flares up in a whitish-blue colour._

Obviously, the Pokemon was a Fire-type which meant it would be easily defeated by a single water move.

Lyra returned to her original position. It all came down to this. She almost didn't want to launch a final attack – Surf would annihilate Charizard and therefore end Lance's reign as Champion. But she knew she had to do it, no matter how tough it seemed. "Feraligatr, finish this with Surf!"

"Charizard… use Dragon Claw."

Charizard moved forward, swiping at Toto with its sharp claws, but Feraligatr endured the attack. Feraligatr growled and slammed his tail on the floor, summoning a wave from the ice and snow. The wave moved forward, turning into water as it came closer to Charizard's flame. Bucketloads of water fell on Charizard's head. Charizard roared, shaking its body, trying to remove the water but the damage had already been done. The tall and proud lizard animal crumpled to the ground. That was it. The Champion had been defeated.

"… It's over," Lance murmured.

It was hard to imagine what thoughts were running through his head right now, but anger didn't seem to be one of them. He actually seemed rather calm despite having just lost his title. Lyra wanted to offer words of comfort, but the words were stuck in her throat. So she stood there quietly, watching him closely.

Lance returned his Charizard to its pokeball then looked at Lyra again. "It's an odd feeling. I'm not angry that I lost. In fact, I feel happy. Happy that I witnessed the rise of a great new Champion!" He smiled at her. "I can think of no other trainer who deserves this as much as you."

Lyra opened her mouth to reply when four people burst into the room. "Lyra!" Someone called out her name and she turned around, surprised to find Ethan there. He was also accompanied by Professor Oak, some random lady and Karen. Ethan ran up to Lyra, a wide smile on his face. "You did it, didn't you? You defeated the Champion!"

"Yup." Although she had won, it didn't feel like the victory she thought it might've been.

Karen shrugged her shoulders. "I tried to stop them, but they were determined to get here."

"I always knew you were special, Lyra!" Professor Oak said, ignoring Karen.

The lady Lyra didn't recognize rushed forward, pushing the two guys aside. "Tell us everything! We missed the final part because the cameras suddenly turned black! This is major news!" she squealed, hopping from toe to toe. "What happened in the final moments?" She pulled out a mini notepad and fluffy pink pen.

Lance grabbed Lyra's arm and gently pulled her away from her three fans. "This is getting to be a bit noisy… Lyra, could you come with me?" He led Lyra away from the excited journalist, guiding her back towards the hallway she had come from.

"Oh wait!"

Fortunately, Karen blocked the trio from proceeding further. They remained in the ruined room, giving their congratulations to Lyra. "You'll get used to it. Some fans are worse than others though," Lance commented, as they stepped into the hallway. "This is the Hall of Fame. It used to be a room only Champions could enter, but we decided to switch the order around, so trainers who defeated the Elite Four could gain some inspiration before taking on the Champion." He gazed up at the decorated walls, observing the framed photos.

"There's quite a few people here. Were they all members of the league at one point?"

He shook his head. "Every league has a Hall of Fame dedicated to the trainers from all regions who made it to the top level. You'll find the past and present Elite Four members here as well as the Champions. It's a way of commemorating trainers and their Pokemon for all eternity. Silver frames are for Elite Four members, and the golden ones are for Champions." He looked down at her again. "And now, you'll get your face on the wall. It won't happen straight away though - you'll have to wait until the official handover ceremony begins."

She stared at him blankly. "Official handover ceremony?"

He laughed. "You seem surprised. Becoming a Champion is a special event, one that is celebrated region-wide. The event takes place in three days, so make sure you get a lot of rest because it's a very busy day. High-ranking trainers from other regions will drop by to give you their congratulations. You'll be expected to answer questions from various media groups, but I'm sure you can handle that."

"What happens to you?"

"Well, I've got three days to move out." Lyra lifted her brows. "The league is a temporary home for a Champion. You get to stay here for as long as you can defend your title," he added, providing a brief explanation.

"And what if the new Champion doesn't want the role like Red? What happens then?"

"The final member of the Elite Four steps up to take over the position. Usually, they have to battle the resigning Champion, but in some instances… they get lucky and just receive the title… such as myself for example," he explained, frowning at the latter half of the sentence. "You're not thinking of leaving, are you?"

She shook her head. "Of course not."

He smiled again. "Good." He paused again, looking up at the wall. "I don't think the region would cope well if another Champion decided to abandon the post. You know, people are still hurting over Red's random resignation." There were a few moments of silence again, as they both looked at the frames. Lyra spotted Lance's golden frame on the far end of the wall, opposite to Red's.

"So," she started, turning to face him. "What was it that you wanted to tell me? You said you'd wait until after the battle… there aren't any cameras rolling so it's safe to speak."

"Did I?"

She nodded, mouth morphing into a grin. "You did. You said something about the battle becoming a memory between us then you added it couldn't possibly be a bad one because I'm in it. What did you mean by that?" Her smile widened.

"Effects of being hit on the head by the snow," Lance replied quickly, looking rather uncomfortable all of a sudden. Was that a tinge of red she saw on his cheeks?

"Hmm… sure…" she drawled. "Is that part of the script?" she added, teasingly.

"Would you believe me if I said yes?"

She shook her head again. "Nope."

"Darn."

Her amusement faded. "All joking aside, what did you really mean? You didn't jump into the Lake of Rage just because you _had_ to – you could've just watched me from the side. You didn't come to visit me after I defeated Team Rocket just to offer me a congratulations and I'm sure your reasons for watching my battle against Clair wasn't just to spy on me. Why did you do it knowing you didn't have to?" She knew why of course – she just needed to hear him say it.

He looked away briefly then turned to her again. "At the time I convinced myself I did those things because I had to… but you're right… I didn't _need_ to… I, uh… _wanted_ to." The red on his face deepened. Now he looked _really_ uncomfortable. "Uh… this is awkward."

"It's a good look on you," Lyra pointed out. "Ariana thought you looked cute when you are mad, but I think otherwise. You're cute when you're awkward." She grinned again. Lance being uncomfortable made her feel less awkward for some reason. It boosted her confidence by quite a few levels, surprisingly. She was saying things she never imagined herself ever saying.

"That… uh… well…" He rubbed the back of his neck.

She giggled. Actually _giggled._ That was _so_ unlike her. Now it was an awkward moment for both parties present. It became even worse when Karen entered the room, a knowing smile on her face. She approached them now. "Aw, how cute. You've raised his spirits, Lyra… and probably something else too," she added with a wink.

"Shouldn't you be watching the other three?" Lance said, annoyed.

"They're busy arguing over who gets to interview Lyra first, I snuck away." She shrugged, flipped a lock of hair over her shoulder then continued. "Besides, I'd rather watch you two… you're _far_ more interesting. The beginnings of that battle… so dramatic." She turned to Lance, smile growing even widening. "So Champ… well, _former_ champ, what are you waiting for?"

He frowned. "What?"

Karen rolled her eyes, looked at Lyra and mouthed the words, 'men', shaking her head in mock disappointment. "I think it's obvious what's going on here, but both of you can't admit it. Now honestly, why don't you just shut up and kiss her already before someone else gets to her. Everyone is gonna want a piece of Lyra now, but you can get to her first." She smiled sweetly. "Anyway, I'll see you later. I'll round up the other boys and the gym leaders later so we can start preparing for your weddi-er, handover ceremony." She headed back towards the main entrance, chuckling.

Lyra couldn't stop a blush from appearing on her cheeks. Her face burned hot. Karen knew. Heck, everyone did now after _that_ battle. Suddenly, being a Champion didn't sound so appealing. Questions were going to be asked, and most of them would be about her relationship with the former Champion. Would the pressure become too much?

"Lyra? Are you all right? You don't have to take Karen so seriously… she's a bit weird."

She put on a fake smile. "I'm fine. Just… thinking, that's all." And just like that, her mood had changed.

"Well, we should head to the main room. We can't stay in here forever." He held out an arm, waiting for her to take it. She did, locking her arm around his. Together, they strolled down the hallway.

"Is this the usual way of introducing the Champion to everyone else?"

He nodded. "Actually, it is. Well… it only happens if the new Champion is of the opposite gender. If the new Champion happens to be of the same gender of the former Champion then they just walk down the hall a few inches apart. I don't know who came up with that idea." They walked through the other Elite Four chambers, coming to a stop in the psychic room. Will, Koga, Bruno and Karen awaited them.

"Congratulations, Lyra," Will said.

Koga acknowledged her with a nod. "I look forward to working with you in the days to come."

"You'll have to show me some of those fancy moves you pulled against me," Bruno said.

Karen stepped forward, grinning. "You go get them, girl!" She then winked. Lance and Lyra exited the first room, while the Elite Four members stayed behind. Lyra took in a deep breath, and looked at the sea of faces before her. It was overwhelming. The attention she had received after defeating Team Rocket, paled in comparison to this. Journalists pushed through the crowd, eager to get to her, while people she had never seen before, called out her name, reaching their hands in her direction.

"Lyra! Lyra! Lyra!" the crowd chanted. She spotted a few teary eyed individuals in the crowd coming from a group of girls in the far corner. Lance's own fanclub. How on earth had this people learnt of her victory in such short notice? Hadn't the cameras been destroyed? Had they simply assumed she had it won when the cameras fell to the ground?

Lance raised a hand, calling for silence. Not a sound could be heard (except for a few sobs), as the people in the room looked to him with eager anticipation. "I invite you all to give applause to your new Champion, Lyra!" The crowd roared in response. Lance called for silence again. "The official handover ceremony will commence in three days in Goldenrod. You are all invited to witness this special free event, but only a certain amount of people will be allowed within the designated area. Tickets can be obtained at all Poke Marts. For those of you who will miss out, you'll be able to watch all the action unfold on your television screen. I ask that you all leave Indigo Plateau so our new Champion can get some well-deserved rest."

There were a few grumbles from the crowd, but police officers managed to force them to leave without any trouble. Lyra was relieved – facing a sea of hungry fans wasn't something she wanted to deal with right now. Only one person in the crowd remained in place – he was a tallish man with spiky brown hair and dark brown eyes. "Who is that guy?" Lyra whispered, looking in the mysterious man's direction.

Lance followed her eyes. "Oh, that's just Blue Oak." He then frowned. "I wonder why he's here…"

Blue? As in the former Champion, Blue? "Wait, Blue Oak?" Professor Oak's grandson was the original Champion? "Wow."

Blue walked up the stairs, hands in his pockets. He looked Lyra up and down, ignoring Lance completely. "So, you're the new Champion. I can't say you look like Champion material in that pathetic outfit, but you might just have what it takes to go the extra mile." He rubbed his chin looking thoughtful.

"Blue, the new Champion needs her rest. You can talk to her at the ceremony," Lance said, looking somewhat irritated.

Blue sent Lance a glare. "You have no right to tell me what to do – _I_ defeated you a number of years ago," he said, tone laced with smugness. Lyra was starting to dislike this guy and she had only just met. How could he be related to Professor Oak? He turned to Lyra again. "You, girl. I've got a challenge for you."

Lance interjected again. "Her name is Lyra."

The original Champion glowered. "Didn't I tell you to stay out of this? I want to talk to Lyra privately. And don't worry, I don't want her in the same way you do so you don't have to panic." Lyra sent Lance a confused look, one he replied with a similar expression. He moved away, choosing to meet up with the other Elite Four members, probably to discuss upcoming events.

"What do you want?"

Blue smirked. "Right to business, good girl. Maybe there's hope with you after all." He studied her face, smirk fading. "You might be Champion, but you're not the best trainer in the region."

"But-"

He lifted a hand, wagging a finger. "Not everyone wants to be a household celebrity, girl. You're not a real trainer until you've defeated Red."

"Red? The former Champion? The one who defeated you all those long years ago?"

He nodded. "That's right. I couldn't beat him, and up until now, no one has been able to best him in battle. But maybe you could change that. Maybe you could battle him and convince him to return home."

"I don't even know where Red is… and what makes you think I want to find him anyway? I just became the Champion… I have a life here." She had her mother here. She had her close friends here. And she now had Lance. "Why would I want to leave that all behind?" Although, she had to admit, she was a little curious where Red could be hiding. His name had been mentioned in conversations a fair bit in her journeys.

He looked at her like she had just said something stupid. "Don't tell me you want to sit on some boring throne all day long waiting for some wannabe champion challenge you? You could be waiting years for someone of that level to arrive. Wouldn't you rather want to take your skills to the next level by challenging the greatest trainer to ever walk the earth?" Blue challenged, giving her a hard stare. "Are you a coward, girl?"

She huffed. "No."

"Then why not seek out Red?"

"It could take me years to find him."

"It won't. It'll take you a day and a bit at the most... before you ask, yeah, I know where Red is. He told me where he was going to go after he defeated me. He's living on the top of the most dangerous mountain in existence… Mount Silver."

So, Kurt's suspicions had been correct. Red lived atop of Mount Silver, the very same mountain that claimed her father's life when she was just a little girl. "You're suggesting that I risk everything to climb this mountain to find Red?"

Blue shrugged. "It's just a suggestion… you don't have to do it if you don't want to… but then that'll just prove that you're a coward. You're a Champion now, girl. Only you can decide what type of Champion you want to be. You can be the Champion who defeated Red… Wouldn't that be a tale to share?"

"Mount Silver could easily claim my life."

He sighed. "Like I said, it's just a suggestion. If you decide to pursue Red, then you'll have to head to the western gates of the league. There's a guard there, but as Champion, you can do whatever you want. Smell ya later!" He gave her a salute then walked away, heading towards the entrance. Lyra watched him leave. She had a choice. There were still three days until the official ceremony, so she had a bit of time, but could she reach him? Was it worth the risk?

She thought hard. Lance's grandfather had said she was supposed to be the protector, to help others find themselves. Now she had to find out who she wanted to be. At the same time, she could finally honour her father's memory. But what about her mother? Her close friends? Lance? They'd be devastated to learn she had left without saying anything. "I'll be back in time," she said aloud. "Blue said it would a day and a half… if I leave now…" If she left now, no one would notice.

Yes. She could make it. Her Pokemon were strong enough to take on Mount Silver. She followed Red's instructions and headed over to the western gates of the League. Entering the league, she hadn't realized there were other doors here, but she saw it now. It was hardly visible, as if it were purposefully designed to be overlooked. She spotted the guard Blue had been talking about, standing in between two Arcanines.

"Hey there, Champion!" the officer greeted, tilting his cap forward. "If you want to find your resting chambers you'll have to go the eastern gates. The ladies there will show you to your temporary resting chambers until the official handover ceremony commences."

She shook her head. "I want access to Mount Silver."

The officer's eyes widened. "N-no… I'm sure you don't want to go there. Mount Silver is dangerous and strictly prohibited to everyone."

"Except for the Champion."

He bit down on his lip, almost hard enough to draw blood. "B-but Lyra… surely… Johto can't risk another Champion resigning from the position, especially before the ceremony has even begun! Please… reconsider…" The fear in his eyes was evident. He was truly afraid of whatever was on this mountain. That only made Lyra more curious to explore Mount Silver. What was so bad about this place anyway?

"I need to do this."

He laughed nervously. "You've proven yourself already, Champion. You don't need to do it again."

"I have to. Please, unlock the doors. As Champion, I demand passage."

With trembling hands, he reached down to the keys hanging at his side. He fumbled with them, almost dropping the keys in the process. "Y-yes… as you insist." He moved to the silver door, placed a bronze key inside the keyhole and turned it clockwise. The Arcanines standing at his side crept away from the door, nervously growling. Even the Pokemon were afraid. Lyra almost had a change of thought at the last minute – but knew she had to go continue going through.

"Thank you."

She stepped through the doors.

.

Losing a battle had never filled him with a great joy, but losing to Lyra gave him the opposite emotion of anger and disappointment. His grandfather had predicted this would happen but had conveniently forgotten to mention his future with Lyra. The old man must've seen it otherwise he would never have been so determined to ensure his grandson looked after her. He wanted to return home now to tell the old man the good new (and apologize for his earlier behaviour), but he still had commitments to full here at the league.

And one of those commitments was ensuring Lyra was well looked after in the lead up to the big ceremony that was to be held in a couple of days time. The other members of the Elite Four were already deciding on the day's events, with each trainer allocated to a specific role. Will had claimed responsibility with ticket management and contacting important persons, and Bruno claimed the position of crowd security. Koga decided on being the person responsible for organizing the activities and Karen was responsible for stage design and catering. This was the biggest event the region had experienced in years so it had to be a memorable one.

He headed towards the temporary resting chamber when he was stopped by one of the assistants. She looked troubled. Her eyes laid on him, and she ran over. "She's gone!" she wailed, clinging onto Lance's arm.

He pried her fingers off. "What do you mean gone?" Had Lyra gone for a secret walk around the surrounding bushland or had she returned home to visit her family?

"She never came to the chambers!" The young lady wiped her eyes, as tears flowed down her pallid cheeks. "She was last seen talking to Blue." She stuttered, breaking down into hysterical sobs. "I'm sorry!" She hurried away before Lance could respond. Gone. Lyra didn't even say goodbye. A sense of loss overcame him. This had to be some cruel joke. How could he get reasonably close to someone only to have that person run away? Was this how it was always going to be? Enjoy a few moments of joy and peace only to lose it hours later?

Blue. What had the former Champion said to Lyra during their brief exchange of words? Had the guy somehow convinced Lyra to abandon the league? What reason would he have? Anger replaced his feeling of loss. "Blue!" He didn't care who heard him, nor did he care who awoke. There had to be an explanation for this. Why would Lyra leave? Why would she suddenly decide to flee after everything they had been through? What gripped him now was unlike anything he had experienced before. He couldn't find the words to describe it accurately, but the words loss, regret, sadness and fear came pretty close. He called Blue's name again.

"I heard you the first time… what do you want?" The arrogant tone of Blue Oak filled the room. The guy strutted towards him, as if he owned the place. He leaned against the wall, one leg pressed up against it, arms crossed over his chest.

Lance stormed over to him. "Explain yourself."

"About Lyra? We had a few words, that's all," he replied calmly, shrugging his shoulders.

Anger poured through him. Lance pinned Blue against the wall, glowering. "Where is she?" he asked as calmly as possible, trying to keep his voice from shaking.

Blue was smirking. "I told her if she wants a real challenge, she should locate Red. I know where Red is… but I'm not going to tell you. I can't have you ruining everything just like how you messed up big time during your reign as Champion." Lyra. Gone. Forever. It made him feel sick to the stomach. Clair had said Lyra would just vanish one day… No. Lyra was still here. She _had_ to be. "Why?" he asked, almost with a snarl.

"I want to see if someone can beat Red."

Lance narrowed his eyes. "This is about revenge? Red handed you a humiliating defeat so now you want to find someone who can defeat him?"

Blue nodded. "I couldn't defeat Red. You couldn't either. Isn't there some part of you that wants Red to experience a defeat? He humiliated me."

He felt desperation rise within him, making it almost impossible to breathe. "And you thought sending Lyra after him was a good idea?"

"She didn't have to, but she wanted to. What happens next is out of my control." He snickered. Lance drew back a fist, and drove it into the side of Blue's face, prompting the younger boy to yell out indignantly. He stumbled backwards, landing on his backside. "What the hell?!" Lance didn't reply. He felt like striking down the bastard again, but hitting Blue wasn't going to solve anything. It did make him feel slightly better though, Blue was always a jerk. Lyra had gone… It left him feeling empty inside. If she died… he wouldn't be able to live with himself, knowing he was partially responsible for her leaving. I should've made sure she made it to the chambers, he thought, scolding himself.

Where had Lyra gone? Where would someone like Red hide? He tried to think of locations, but worry over losing Lyra made it a real struggle. All he could think about was hearing it on the news one morning that Lyra had suffered a fatal injury. He knew he needed to find her, but where to even start? Time was wasting. The longer he did nothing, the greater the possibility something bad had happened to her.

There was only one person who could help him now. His grandfather. The man had to have seen something. Lance exited the league, summoned Dragonite, and made his way over to Blackthorn again.


End file.
